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Council set to recruit permanent chief executive
Published Thursday 8th September 11
The process to recruit a permanent chief executive at Wellingborough Council will start in the next couple of weeks and the search for candidates is likely to go nationwide.
The current interim chief executive's secondment finishes at the end of the year and members of the council's resources committee will meet on 14 September to discuss what happens next.
An appointment to the eighteen-month interim role was made in July 2010 following the retirement of the previous chief executive. At the time it was agreed that a permanent replacement couldn't be recruited until the council had a clearer idea of how services would be delivered following extensive cuts in government funding. The interim period allowed the council to look at different options, including the possibility of sharing management with another authority, before deciding that the best way forward would be to retain the services of a permanent chief executive. It is expected that specialised consultants will be appointed to support the recruitment process.
Cllr Paul Bell, leader of Wellingborough Council, said: "All local government is going through a period of considerable change and this council is no different. There will need to be further cutbacks in the near future and choosing the right chief executive is essential to help steer us through these challenges. Because of this, we want to explore as broad a market as possible and to do that we need support from a suitably qualified recruitment consultancy. They could help us develop advertising to attract the best candidates, and advise us on shortlisting, interview preparation, and appointment. Getting the right person for this very tough job means someone who can help guide us through very difficult times and into the future whilst still meeting the needs of all of our taxpayers."
The recruitment process is expected to start immediately after the resources committee meeting and it is hoped interviews could take place in November. The whole process, including consultancy support, extensive advertising, and exercises to asses leadership qualities and competencies, is expected to cost in the region of £15,000-£20,000.