The suspension of the chief executive of a crisis-hit New Deal for Communities (NDC) partnership in Nottingham has been lifted, it emerged this week.

Allegations made against Sam Tarff have been investigated, according to a spokesman for the Neighbourhood Development Company, which runs the NDC programme in Nottingham’s Radford and Hyson Green districts.

He said: “The outcome is that they are unproven. The investigation has been terminated and the suspension lifted.”

It remains unclear whether Tarff will return to the NDC. The spokesman said that the NDC and Tarff are now in discussions.Tarff told Regeneration & Renewal: “I am really pleased with the announcement and that my name has been cleared. Now they (the NDC) want to talk to me and see what’s best for the future.”

A spokeswoman for the umbrella body, the NDC Network – which was chaired by Tarff before his suspension – said it was “pleased he has at last been cleared of all allegations”.

News of Tarff’s suspension emerged in December 2007 (Regen.net, 19 December 2007). It was the first in a series of setbacks for the NDC, including the resignation of various board members, and the ordering of a governance review into the company (R&R, 22 February, p2).