Cheshire East Council’s new assistant chief executive has left to pursue new opportunities – just three months after joining the council, writes Belinda Ryan.
The cash-strapped authority, which has haemorrhaged top bosses over the past 18 months, had hoped to stem the flow with about six recent appointments, including this one.
The post of assistant chief executive, which was advertised at the end of last year with a salary ranging from £85,883 to £115,826, was created to help with the council’s ambitious transformation programme.
A spokesperson for Cheshire East told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Dami Awobajo, assistant chief executive, left the council on June 30, 2025, to pursue new opportunities.
“During his time with Cheshire East, Dami led the design and implementation of the council’s phase three transformation programme, including the development of business planning and performance frameworks, the creation of a new annual communications plan, and the drafting of the council’s corporate delivery plan.
“He strengthened governance, improved reporting, and laid important foundations for ongoing organisational change.
“We thank Dami for his contribution and wish him every success in the future.
“The assistant chief executive role will be covered on an interim basis initially.”
I smell a rat,no body in such a position in local government can leave without a notice period, usually three months, and the list of achievements this man has been involved with is staggering, he appears to have done more to improve how the council is run than the rest of the council has done in years.
Clearly another fictional spin on things from our ever more inept council, it’s obvious he has been asked to leave for who knows what reason.
DEI
And the introduction of Parking charges on Sundays as well.
Is he responsible for the introduction of the new parking charges at Asda then which has increased parking times from 6pm until 10pm. This will be the demise of poor already struggling Asda. Greed gets you no where.
Did he have a resettlement allowance? If he did, is he repaying it? CEC should come clean on this? Will they?
No wonder the council doesn’t have any money…
100 k at year for an assistant…
I can do this job in a 50 k salary…
‘Quits’ Perhaps questions need to be asked about his behaviour towards a female colleage at a recent staff event
Eric Shaw. Probably a better quality of Officers and Councillors in those days.
What a complete waste of public money….all that advertising, company resources…the list is exhaustive and I’m too tired to bother listing them.
Coalition run CEC has to go.
Surely, at this level, he would have been on at least three months’ notice. If so, he should have given notice on his first day. The comment from CEC is somewhat misleading. Can we have a fuller statement?
Never had Assistant Chief Executives during my 32 years in Local Authorities.