A �40,000-a-year post is up for grabs to steer Huntingdon Town Hall’s restoration scheme to replace the councillor barred by his colleagues from overseeing the project.

Huntingdon town councillors agreed at a staffing sub-committee on Thursday they would advertise for a new project manager to oversee the town hall improvements plan.

The role had previously been filled on a voluntary basis by former councillor Brian Luckham, but his involvement was called into question at a finance committee meeting on January 20.

Members said Mr Luckham’s involvement presented a conflict of interest for the council and compromised ‘due process.’

He later resigned from the council three weeks later because of the furore. His council position is likely to be replaced during the full town council elections on May 5.

Speaking after the staffing sub-committee meeting, town clerk Karen Cameron said: “We agreed a job description and terms of employment for a project manager.

“It was agreed that they would advertise in local newspapers and that hopefully will attract some high calibre applicants.”

The winning candidate will be offered a fixed term contract of employment with the town council from April. Plans are to finish the hall improvements by February 2012.

Ms Cameron said �40,000 was the going rate for project managers according to local recruitment firms.