New interim chief at top of city council... again
BIRMINGHAM City Council has appointed yet another interim chief executive, the latest in a string of senior public sector figures to take on the role.
Deborah Cadman, currently chief executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, will take up the post in the summer, subject to ratification by full council.
The interim appointment will cover the local elections and Commonwealth Games next year, after which recruitment for a permanent appointment will begin.
She is expected to take up the role from early summer. Adult social care director Graeme Betts will continue as acting chief executive until then. A Birmingham native, Ms Cadman was the first permanent chief executive of the newly formed combined authority in 2017, following 30 years working in public services. She worked at Birmingham City Council for seven years during her early career followed by senior roles at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, the Audit Commission, St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Suffolk County Council.
She was appointed the OBE for services to local government in 2006. Ms Cadman said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Birmingham at such an important time for the city and the region – there are immense challenges ahead but some great opportunities too. Returning to the city as chief executive of the combined authority has been a great experience.
“I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved across the region and it will be hard to leave so many brilliant colleagues here. But the opportunity to become chief executive of Birmingham City Council is one I just couldn’t turn down.” Ms Cadman becomes the latest person to perform the role after what has been a turbulent few years for the top job at Europe’s largest local authority.
It was announced in April last year that Chris Naylor would join the council on a 12-month contract from Barking and Dagenham and it was later reported he had applied for and secured the job permanently, only to withdraw his application later.
The last permanent chief executive was Dawn Baxendale but she announced in summer 2019 she was leaving to relocate to New Zealand to become chief executive of Christchurch City Council.