David White at the standards committee hearing at County Hall.
PHOTO BY SIMON FINLAY
Norfolk County Council announces proposed new interim manager
By CHRIS HILL
Friday, March 15, 2013
9:52 AM
Norfolk County Council has announced a proposed new interim manager to take the helm following the departure of the authority’s most senior officer.
Chief executive David White will leave on April 6, when his role becomes redundant to be replaced by the renamed position of managing director.
Until a permanent appointment is made in May, the authority’s head of human resources and organisational development, Anne Gibson, has been recommended as acting managing director.
Ms Gibson, who joined Norfolk County Council as head of personnel in 2002, said: “It is an absolute privilege to be recommended for this role. It is vitally important that the county council is not diverted and pushes forward with its transformation programme whilst continuing to deliver high quality public services. This is a challenge I would relish.”
Departing chief executive Mr White ruled himself out of the revised role, which he said required “a level of commercial skill and experience not required from my current post and that I simply do not have.”
During the recent standards hearing into the conduct of former leader Derrick Murphy, it emerged that Mr White had secretly recorded the councillor during questioning over an email sent to the BBC by conservative political assistant Kevin Vaughan.
Council leader Bill Borrett will recommend Ms Gibson be appointed to the temporary role when the full council meets on 25 March.
His report recommends the appointment at a salary of £160,000, the lowest of the managing director’s pay scale.
Mr Borrett said: “The process of recruiting a managing director is now under way but we need a proven performer to step in in the interim. Anne is already our programme lead on the council-wide Enterprising Norfolk initiative and is therefore very well placed to temporarily step into the role. We did consider recruiting somebody from outside the organisation, but felt this did not offer good value for money nor offer the continuity we require under our broader transformation programme.”
Cliff Jordan, the council’s cabinet member for efficiency, said: “It is important that there is continuity during the interim period to enable the council to continue to deliver its many services and to move forward with its transformation programme. It (the appointment) would also allow crucial continuity for the council leading up to the local elections in early May and a new administration taking office.”
Ms Gibson was president of the Public Sector People Managers’ Association for 2011/12 and was made honorary secretary in 2012.
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12 comments
How the worm turns! Cliff 'cliffy iffy' Jordan (aka Worzel Gummidge - the Arthur Daley of Norfolk) now has two puppets enthroned at County Hall - the leader - 'Borat' (who no one has seen for weeks) and now the senior officer under his own cabinet portfolio as the new interim managing director. The same individual who will have been involved in all the pay offs to people in the Kevingate saga (Kevin Vaughan and David White and whoever else has paid off) and the senior management review as Head of HR. Jordan now has full control of the council (or at least would like to think so) pulling the strings in the shadows. They gave us the weak excuse of White needing to go because he didn't have enough commercial experience. Gibson has even less by all accounts. At least Borat and iffy cliffy listened to the trough when they rejected plans to keep White on until a replacement had been found. They dig themselves even deeper into the bunker!
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pig in trough
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Peter, you can be yourself you know, no need to speak up for party politicians who have failed, all of them. Norfolk is big enough on its own, party politics does not come into it, trust your locally known Independent, keep in touch with them, help them, ensure that your locality matters and forget what is being presented to us as a forgone conclusion, try making change a reality, we had enough of fancy talk and backwardness from our parties.
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ingo wagenknecht
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Watson you really do talk rubbish, can you be constructive for once or are you just going to carry on talking dribble.
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Sweet cheeks
Saturday, March 16, 2013
I see that the council is about to put out a policy on taping phone conversations. As long a s it's "What's good enough for the Chief Executive is good enough for all employees to protect themselves with" then I can see there being no problem.
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ThePresence
Friday, March 15, 2013
This county is run for the NFU,by the NFU and with the NFU.Tory farmers are running Norfolk.As Ed Miliband said to Cameron they could not organise anthing in a brewery.Biggest vested interest in the county.The toxic Tories and the cosy chumocracy.
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Peter Watson
Friday, March 15, 2013
When are Norfolk's Tories going to get a grip?Are they too busy sucking up to their friends in the NFU?
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Peter Watson
Friday, March 15, 2013
Head of personnel, as in knows all the murky detail of secret pay-offs, Kevingate, and other things that Borat could be embarassed by between now and the council election?
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Police Commissioner ???
Friday, March 15, 2013
Good point. Mind you are there any positive secrets she would have about the cabinet members?
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alecto
Friday, March 15, 2013
Should we assume she got the job because she has the most dirt on the cabinet members?
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Mr Cameron Isaliar
Friday, March 15, 2013
The Head of Personnel takes over? Is this an early April Fool? There surely must be some officers with more commercial knowledge than her. In fact if she has been doing her job properly since 2002 everyone should have more commercial experience than her. Bring back the man with the dog.
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alecto
Friday, March 15, 2013
David White stated his departure in November and NCC is only now thinking of the recruiting process? Not very business like or timely, ideally David White should have had his replacement in his office before he leaves, to introduce herhim to the new businesslike regime and the outstanding senior management review he started last spring.
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ingo wagenknecht
Friday, March 15, 2013
David White stated his departure in November and NCC is only now thinking of the recruiting process? Not very business like or timely, Ideally David White should have had his replacement in his office before he leaves, to introduce herhim to the new businesslike regime them outstanding senior review he started last spring.
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ingo wagenknecht
Friday, March 15, 2013