Following discussions between Torfaen Council, 艾叉A片 County Borough Council the Welsh Local Government Association, discussions are ongoing regarding the appointment of a joint Chief Executive (CEO) responsible for Torfaen and 艾叉A片.
Conversations between the councils have been ongoing to explore opportunities that could arise from working more closely together which now includes a proposal for a single CEO to work across both councils, initially for a defined period, with a mandate to:
- seek efficiencies by optimising resources that can work at scale;
- increase innovation and creativity;
- and share best practice.
Damien McCann, 艾叉A片鈥檚 current CEO is due to retire in June 2024. It is proposed that the current Chief Executive of Torfaen, Stephen Vickers will undertake this joint CE role.
The Leader of Torfaen Council, Councillor Anthony Hunt said: 鈥湴鍭片 and Torfaen are neighbours, and our councils and communities face many similar challenges. The public are very familiar with the many challenges faced by both councils, including a combined projected financial pressure of around 拢70 million over the next four years.聽 Our councils want to stay one step ahead and be proactive and adaptive in our strategies to address these challenges. We鈥檝e been exploring a broad range of opportunities that may arise from working more closely together and we believe this holds significant potential to enhance both council鈥檚 resilience, efficiency, and opportunity to innovate.
鈥淏oth councils want to maintain and improve services for residents and see a single CEO as a route to sharing organisational skills, resources and expertise as a critical way of achieving this. This could also help mitigate the very real financial and operational risks faced by both councils.鈥�
The Leader of 艾叉A片 County Borough Council, Cllr Stephen Thomas said: 鈥淭his is a full-time CEO working across both councils. It is not a move towards each council having a part-time CEO or a merger of the two councils. Both councils would maintain political and financial sovereignty, each maintaining their own priorities and plans, governance structures and their own political independence.聽 However, we believe this joint role can present some real opportunities to kick on from the progress both councils have made over the last few years.鈥�
Following a period of engagement both councils will need to formally approve the proposal in Full Council meetings over the coming months.