Applications open for highly paid chief executive roles at new unitary councils for Northamptonshire

Applications have been opened to find the chief executives of the two new unitary councils in Northamptonshire.
Two new unitary councils will be launched in Northamptonshire next Spring.Two new unitary councils will be launched in Northamptonshire next Spring.
Two new unitary councils will be launched in Northamptonshire next Spring.

West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council, which will replace the existing county and district authorities next spring, have opened up a number of highly paid roles for candidates to apply.

The chief executive roles – which would be instead known as the ‘heads of paid services’ – are both offering a salary of between £170,000 and £180,000 per year, although higher salaries would be considered for ‘exceptional candidates’.

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Applications are also open, at both authorities, to become the director of adult services (£130-140k), director for finance (£130-140k) and directors for legal and democratic services (£110-115k).

One position is also open to become the director of children’s services for both authorities. Responsibilities include being ‘responsible for the contract management and delivery of service outcomes of the upcoming Children’s Trust’ and ‘ensuring the effective delivery of children’s social care services across Northamptonshire’. The role is offered a salary of between £145,000 and £155,000.

A national recruitment drive is being launched to find the ‘best candidates’. Legislation requires that all the positions need to be filled by the end of December this year, in preparation for the launch date of the two councils of April 1, 2021.

The posts are being advertised on the Future Northants website, with interviews scheduled to take place in July and August.

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Until the councils are officially launched next April, two shadow councils – made up of existing councillors and staff – are operating in the background preparing for launch day. They are due to hold their first official meetings next week.

Councillor Russell Roberts, leader of North Northamptonshire Shadow Authority, said: “The launch of this recruitment campaign marks another significant step towards the creation of the new unitary councils.

“We are advertising these statutory officer roles nationally, roles that will be core to each council’s new leadership team.

“We want to make appointments as early as we can to enable whoever we appoint to be directly involved in the many key decisions we will have to make.”

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And Councillor Ian McCord, leader of the West Northamptonshire Shadow Authority added: “We have a chance for a new beginning, we have one opportunity to get this right.

“To be successful we need to recruit the very best talent to lead and shape the creation of the new council alongside us politicians.

“This is the beginning of a process to ensure that we can have a fresh start and a bright future.”