News / SIC may have new chief by Thursday
SHETLAND Islands Council hopes to be able to announce the appointment of an interim chief executive this week.
A panel of seven councillors met on Tuesday to discuss four candidates for the post and are understood to have whittled the number down to three.
Convener Sandy Cluness said there had been four potential candidates who could do the job for a couple of years.
One of those candidates is known to be Orkney Islands Council’s current chief executive Alistair Buchan, considered by some to be the front runner.
The panel of seven councillors will be making a recommendation to the full council on their preferred candidate on Thursday. If agreement can be reached with councillors and the candidate is willing to accept the terms and conditions the appointment will probably be confirmed next week.
One panel member said that they were “very, very hopeful” that a new chief executive could be selected on Thursday, prior to the public hearing being held into the SIC by the Accounts Commission on Monday and Tuesday next week.
Local government umbrella group COSLA have helped the council headhunt a suitable chief who had experience in the job at a local authority, achieved a best value report from Audit Scotland, had experience working for an independent authority and an affinity or knowledge of islands.
The task of finding suitable candidates was taken up by Munro Consulting finance director Ken Dalgleish.
The panel of seven councillors includes Mr Cluness, Robert Henderson, Florence Grains, Cecil Smith, Bill Manson, Allan Wishart and Gary Robinson.
The post of SIC chief executive became vacant in February when its previous incumbent David Clark departed after just nine months with a £285,000 tax free pay off hacving claimed that he was hounded out of office by hostile councillors and the media.
The interim chief executive is to be appointed for the next two and a half years until six months after the next local government election. His job will be to help the council improve itself after the past 12 months of difficulties.
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