An embattled council chief executive has signed off from her work on sick leave.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council boss Anne Donaghy has formally notified officials of her sickness absence, which it is believed could last several weeks or more.
An emergency meeting of party group leaders and senior council management is being convened to discuss the matter and consider contingency plans.
Insiders told Belfast Live they cannot recall Ms Donaghy ever before taking any prolonged leave of absence - and they said she has rarely missed a council meeting.
Her unexpected absence follows months of controversy surrounding the council's contentious decision in February to temporarily remove Brexit-related staff from Larne Port.
A damning Stormont committee report criticised the "quality and credibility" of some of the council's evidence due to "several contradictions and inconsistencies".
Ms Donaghy had also faced calls to resign over a divisive letter she sent to the UK government on the advice of three DUP MPs raising her concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The council earlier this month narrowly voted to refer itself to a public services watchdog over claims it had "misled" the MLA inquiry and "suppressed" information.
And last week trade union Nipsa launched a survey for Mid and East Antrim council workers to examine allegations of "bullying and harassment" - claims strongly rejected by the council.
A high-level meeting to discuss Ms Donaghy's absence is expected to take place on Friday afternoon.
Ms Donaghy, who in 2020 was awarded an OBE for services to local government, is seldom absent from monthly council meetings.
However, her sickness leave means she could now miss the next scheduled proceedings on October 4.
It is unclear who from the council's senior team would step in, as sources say the deputy chief executive has also been absent on leave for an extended period.
In a statement a council spokesman said: "Council does not comment on staffing matters and no inference should be drawn from this."
Last month it emerged Ms Donaghy was "seeking independent legal advice" over the Stormont agriculture committee's report into the withdrawal of port staff.
Ms Donaghy has also issued legal letters threatening action against people she claims are involved in an online campaign against her, the Belfast Telegraph reported.
The agriculture committee had examined the decision by DUP minister Edwin Poots and the council to temporarily remove staff from Larne and Belfast ports.
The withdrawal followed security fears over threatening graffiti, but questions mounted when police said there was no evidence of "credible threats" or the involvement of loyalist paramilitaries.
The committee's report found the withdrawal was disproportionate and "undoubtedly contributed to escalating tensions" over the protocol.
MLAs disagreed with Ms Donaghy's assertion that her letter to the Cabinet Office was "not relevant" to their inquiry and said it was a "misjudgement not to have disclosed the correspondence" when the council first gave evidence.
The committee report also said they could "not identify a reasonable justification" for why the letter was shared with numerous DUP elected representatives but not other parties.
The council has previously said the temporary withdrawal of staff from Larne Port was a "unanimous, cross-party decision taken by council, with the health, safety and wellbeing of council staff the priority".
It had also insisted Ms Donaghy's letter to the UK government was "not political in nature" and was shared with the relevant public office holders "regardless of their political party or persuasion".
For the latest breaking news straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter here.
