Strategic management team takes shape

(Date of issue: Friday 23 October 2009)

Carlisle City Council’s new Strategic Management Team is starting to take shape with a new set of appointments, subject to the council’s approval.

The City Council’s Employment Panel has recruited to the following posts:

• Strategic Director with Deputy Chief Executive role – Jason Gooding
• Assistant Director (Resources) - Peter Mason
• Assistant Director (Governance) – Mark Lambert

The appointments were made following a rigorous, three day interview process, this week, including assessments and a formal interview with elected members.

The employment panel’s recommended appointments will be submitted, for approval, at the next Full Council meeting on Tuesday 10 November 2009.

In July, City Councillors approved a new strategic management structure, reducing the number of senior management posts from 19 to nine.

This new structure is designed to not only help to provide some of the savings needed for the City Council, but will also to enable the Council to face the future and be flexible to meet the challenges of the economic recession and the likely reduction in income, including Government funding over the coming years.

The new management structure will provide an annual saving of around £630,000 and additional savings will be needed to achieve the planned £1million revenue savings by 2010/2011.

In August, six senior managers opted to take voluntary redundancy.

The remaining posts will be advertised externally in the next two to three weeks, with interviews taking place in December.

Cllr John Mallinson, Chairman of the Employment Panel said:

“This is an important step in the Council’s restructuring and I am delighted with the Employment Panel’s recommendations.”