New role proposed for North Devon Council executive diretor

STEVE Pitcher, one of the executive directors of North Devon Council, looks likely to be seconded to the post of chief executive of North Devon Plus. The secondment, for two years, is to be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the council next Wednes

STEVE Pitcher, one of the executive directors of North Devon Council, looks likely to be seconded to the post of chief executive of North Devon Plus.

The secondment, for two years, is to be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the council next Wednesday.

North Devon Plus is a joint economic and regeneration agency set up and funded by North Devon Council and Torridge District Council.

It needs to fill the vacant post of chief executive in order to carry out its tasks effectively on behalf of its core funders.

A report to the council says the secondment, from October 1, has the broad support of the organisation's partners.

Mr Pitcher, executive director (Regeneration and Development) has been heading up North Devon Council with Mike Mansell, executive director (Operations and Finance) since the retirement of former chief executive John Sunderland last year.

Next Wednesday's meeting will also discuss the proposal to work more closely with Torridge District Council by forming a joint management team and sharing some services, such as legal services, car parks, licensing and revenue and benefits.

An opportunity for closer working on waste and recycling services is already being explored.

Last week, Torridge District Council unanimously approved the joint management team idea, proposed by council Leader James Morrish.

Cllr Des Brailey, Leader of North Devon Council, also endorsed the idea in principle, but told the Gazette that any management team should be headed by a chief executive recruited from outside the two authorities with no in-house candidates allowed.