Cheshire East’s chief executive Rob Polkinghorne has left the council by mutual agreement after being absent for more than six months.
Mr Polkinghorne took up the role in January 2024.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council finds itself in turmoil again at the top level with the chief executive off work “currently unwell” and a senior director resigning “by mutual agreement” with immediate effect.
A spokesperson for the council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of Cheshire East Council, is currently unwell and is not in work.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Councillors have been promised a full update on the plan to transform Cheshire East and save up to £91 million over the next four years after not receiving regular progress reports.
The cash-strapped council only managed to come up with a balanced budget with the help of £17.6 million exceptional financial support from the government.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council’s new assistant chief executive has left to pursue new opportunities – just three months after joining the council.
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.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council spent more than £37,500 on a “rigorous recruitment and selection process” to appoint its new chief executive.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked for the total costs after listening to the appointments committee in the summer, where it became clear recruiting and appointing a new top boss wasn’t going to be cheap.
Cheshire East Council has confirmed the appointment of Rob Polkinghorne as its new permanent chief executive.
The decision was taken at the meeting of full council on Wednesday (December 13). Mr Polkinghorne will start work as chief executive on January 3, 2024.
Dear Editor
Why did the new Cheshire East Chief Executive leave Southend after just eight months?
The former Chief Executive of Southend, who left his post suddenly after only eight months, is to be the new Chief Executive of Cheshire East, on a salary of around £3,500 a WEEK, plus pension costs.
Cheshire East Council is set to appoint Rob Polkinghorne as its new permanent chief executive, the authority has announced today.
The council’s appointments committee is due to recommend Mr Polkinghorne as the preferred candidate in a report to full council.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Labour’s bid to set the starting point for the salary of the council’s new chief executive at £160,000 was thwarted by the Tories and Independents who voted through £170,000.
Cheshire East is on the hunt for a new permanent top boss after Lorraine O’Donnell (pictured) left last week.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council is to pay its new stand-in boss a whopping £1,200 a day.
David Parr’s appointment as the authority’s interim chief executive is expected to be rubber-stamped at full council on Wednesday (October 18).
Cheshire East Council is set to appoint a new interim chief executive, David Parr OBE.
Mr Parr is currently long-serving chief executive at Halton Borough Council where he has been for 18 years.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council’s suggested lowest starting salary point for a new chief executive of £160,000 is “simply too low”, councillors said.
And they recommended the new salary band be from £170k to £190k.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council could pay its new top boss up to £190,000 a year – that’s £30,500 more than the council currently pays for the role.
Current chief executive Dr Lorraine O’Donnell is leaving the authority in October to move to the top job at Bradford Council on a salary of £205,000.
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