Council appoints new CEO after seven-month search

Herefordshire Council has approved the appointment of its new chief executive following a seven-month search.

Paul Satoor, former chief executive of Wirral Council, has taken up the £169,000 per year post.

His predecessor, Paul Walker, was supposed to retire last month, but he agreed to stay on for a longer period to give the council more time to find the right replacement.

Discussing his appointment, the new chief executive said: "I will be joining at a time of continual improvement in the council and I am keen to maintain that momentum and help take it to the next stage of its journey."

The special appointments panel recommended Satoor to the full council, where a vote took place in a behind closed doors meeting to finalise the appointment, subject to standard employment checks.

Satoor, who is expected to take up the role in the summer, added: "I am thrilled to be joining Herefordshire Council as its next chief executive.

"It is clear to me that the council and the county have much to be proud of - and much to look forward to.

"It is a place of outstanding natural beauty and rich history, and enormous potential and opportunity.

Herefordshire Council leader Jonathan Lester said: "In a rigorous recruitment process, we wanted to find an exceptional candidate that brought the experience, skills and values we wanted for this important time for the council."

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