THE portrait of shamed former county council leader Lord Hanningfield was removed to stop employees facing awkward questions, the current chairman has revealed.
Kay Twitchen said the oil painting was removed from the corridor outside her office at County Hall, in Chelmsford, because it was "not fair" on council staff to have to field difficult questions.
As reported in the Chronicle, the artwork, which depicts the former Tory during his time as county council chairman from 1989 to 1992, was taken away to the Essex Record Office in Wharf Road, Chelmsford, about three months ago.
The expenses which Lord Hanningfield claimed while he was leader of the council between 2001 and 2010 are currently being investigated by City of London Police.
The 72-year-old peer spent nine weeks in jail last year, after a court found him guilty of fiddling his House of Lords expenses by nearly £14,000.
Mrs Twitchen, who represents Billericay and Burstead, explained her decision this week, after returning from a two-week cruise.
She said: "A couple of members of staff were saying that when they bring visitors in they would always comment when they saw the painting.
"I felt it wasn't fair for those members of staff to have to get involved.
"We still have the police investigation going on and I decided that it should come down because of the awkwardness it was causing."
Mrs Twitchen stressed that the portrait, which was painted by the renowned British artist June Mendoza, was in safe hands at the Essex Record Office, adding that she expects it to return to County Hall.
"There is no way it isn't going to reappear," said Mrs Twitchen, who became chairman in May.
"When this is all done and dusted, I think most members would want it to come back."
Mrs Twitchen paid tribute to the service which Lord Hanningfield, an ex-pig farmer born Paul White, had given to the county council.
"He was a bloody good chairman and made a real contribution to the community in this county," said Mrs Twitchen, who was first elected to the council in May 1989.
"He was a good friend to me when I first joined the council and I won't forget that."
Lord Hanningfield, on police bail while the probe into his expenses continues, said: "I am disappointed that my portrait has come down and I don't feel that I have been very well treated by Essex County Council.
"They've moved the portrait so I guess they will now want to knock down the extension at County Hall which I was responsible for."
