Chief executive
The Leader has confirmed that Eleanor Kelly has taken up the position of acting Chief Executive from Monday, 6 February, 2012. with Annie Shepperd having stepped down from the role. The move is part of the review of senior managers' structure and pay that was announced last year in which the Leader plans to cut the number of top managers' posts in the authority in order to save £1m.
That review is currently in the consultation stage with the first phase due to be implemented in April 2012. Specific details have already been shared with councillors, managers and trade unions and are available to view on the council's website, with the report and appendices.
Eleanor Kelly was appointed Deputy Chief Executive at the London Borough of Southwark in September 2008 and has been at the authority since September 2006. She currently has responsibility for regeneration, planning, human resources and corporate strategy.
Eleanor has senior executive level experience in both public and private sectors, including substantial experience at Finance Director, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Executive level in Tower Hamlets, interim Chief Executive experience in Merton and management consultancy experience with KPMG.
Recognised by her professional accountancy institute as an expert in organisational management, for a number of years Eleanor acted as the national specialist examiner in this subject for the final year professional exams. She has held a number of non Executive Directorships, most notably as a Trustee of a charitable trust, and as a non executive Chairman of the board of directors for a private consultancy company.
The chief executive chairs the council's corporate management team (CMT) which is made up of the strategic directors of departments.
The other members of CMT are:
- Romi Bowen, Strategic Director of Children's Services
- Susanna White, Strategic Director of Health and Community Services
- Gerri Scott, Strategic Director for Housing Services
- Gill Davies, Strategic Director of Environment and Leisure
- Duncan Whitfield, Finance Director
- Deborah Collins, Strategic Director of Communities, Law and Governance
