Northamptonshire County Council: Acting chief executive and finance officer to leave
There’s plenty of “rural” in Northamptonshire and local authority watchers like me cant resist watching the twists and turns in the sad unfolding scenario in the County. This latest instalment signals changes to key personnel. I do wonder how many other larger rural authorities might be on the brink…? The article tells us:
The acting chief executive and chief financial officer at a crisis-hit council have both resigned.
Andrew Quincey and Mark McLaughlin have been working under two government-appointed commissioners at Northamptonshire County Council.
The commissioners were put in place in May to try to steer the authority out of its financial crisis.
Councillors were told of the resignations in an email from the Tory council leader Matt Golby.
He wrote that interim chief executive Mr Quincey, who took up his post in April, would leave on 27 July.
“Last week he handed in his resignation… and will shortly be taking a new role working on a major construction project in Sydney, Australia,” Mr Golby wrote on Friday.
“Our chief finance officer Mark McLaughlin has also handed in his resignation.
“Mark has made it clear that as the commissioners are now in post and the recruitment process is under way for a new chief executive, the council is moving into its next phase and therefore it is only right that he steps aside.”
Interviews for a new permanent chief executive will take place on Monday and the successful candidate will be announced on 19 July.
Andrew Quincey took over the role following the resignation of previous interim Damon Lawrenson.
Mark McLaughlin, who leaves at the end of July, joined the authority in December and in February issued a 114 notice, which banned all new expenditure.
Mr Golby thanked both officers for their work in this “tumultuous time” and said they will not receive settlement payments as they took voluntary redundancy.