Interim chief takes over the council
Royal Borough: Search begins for permanent replacement for executive role
The Royal Borough has appointed an interim chief executive as the search to replace the departing Duncan Sharkey begins.
Group leaders paid tribute to Mr Sharkey at Tuesday’s full council meeting, as the chief executive and head of paid service prepares to leave for Somerset to oversee a soon-to-be created unitary authority.
His temporary replacement, Tony Reeves, will take care of the local authority while the Royal Borough seeks to fill the position on a more permanent role.
Mr Reeves, who has served at
Liverpool City, Bradford Metropolitan Borough and Wakefield City councils, will work on a part-time basis of three days a week.
His appointment, which begins on Monday, will cost the council £1,382 per day of work (including fees to a recruitment agency), and follows a unanimous decision by the council’s appointment committee.
Council leader Andrew Johnson explained this figure was the ‘market rate’, and that Mr Reeves was an ‘excellent candidate’ for the role.
Moreover, leader of the opposition Simon Werner said he was ‘head and shoulders above the rest [of the candidates]’, and expressed his belief that he would ‘carry on the culture change’ started under Duncan Sharkey.
After the meeting, Cllr Johnson added: “We are pleased to confirm that Tony Reeves has been appointed as interim chief executive and head of paid service after full council approved the recommendation from appointment committee.
“Tony will start on Monday, October 3 and will hold the statutory position pending completion of a full recruitment process for a permanent postholder, which is getting underway imminently.
“Tony has a strong background in strategic leadership roles in local government.
“His primary areas of focus at the Royal Borough will include next year’s budget setting process and the impact of the adult social care reform within the council.
“We look forward to working with him over the coming months.”