New council boss to head up joint ‘WestWey’ council

David Clarke has been appointed as the first joint Chief Executive of West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

The appointment is the first step of a shared services partnership that will save an estimated £8.5 million over five years.

Both councils met yesterday to approve the move after a committee, made up of three senior members of each council, had completed a robust selection process. It is not clear when Mr Clarke will begin his new job.

Mr Clarke has been Chief Executive of West Dorset District Council for seven years. Ever since a council merger for Dorset authorities has been mooted he has been vowing to go all out for the top job. Now, in his new role, he will be responsible for a highly complex organisation with up to 800 staff and gross budgets totalling £103 million. The councils have recommended that Mr Clarke will be paid £110,000. He has previously been attacked by the Taxpayers' Alliance for being on their 'rich list' of council bosses in Dorset who receive over £100,000 a year. In 2009/10 his pay was £101,205.92, including a salary of £91,464, which hasn’t risen from his 2008/09 salary. He received a home phone allowance of £78.84, mileage allowance of £92.56, subsistence of £60, medical insurance at £801.52, a leased car at £5,777.02, and £1,480 in election payments for his role as returning officer. The new WestWey partners have defended his salary, saying it is at the lower end of the range for similar posts in the South West.

Mr Clarke said: ”I am honoured and delighted to have been appointed to this new and challenging role and look forward to working with councillors and colleagues. The WestWey Partnership is the most significant change for our two authorities in the past 35 years. The partnership provides a unique opportunity to protect and improve local services at less cost. Both West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland councils have superb staff and by working as one team we can meet the challenges facing local government.

“The savings we will make over the next five years will be used to protect and develop front line services, even in the severe financial climate the two councils face as a result of the national spending review.”

Cllr Robert Gould, Leader of West Dorset District Council, said: “The appointment of David Clarke as the joint chief executive of both councils is a clear signal of our intention to bring the two workforces together to deliver shared savings of around £2 million a year. The role of local government is changing and we believe that David is the right person to help us prepare to meet that change.”

Cllr Geoff Petherick, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s Briefholder for Corporate Affairs and Continuous Improvement added: ”I would also like to express our thanks to Tom Grainger who served as Chief Executive at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council for 12 years, for the work and contribution he has made. He has led the authority with a commitment to provide residents with high quality services, delivered efficiently and effectively and we wish him well for the future.”

The joint workforce headed by David Clarke will deliver services to 162,000 residents, over 6,100 businesses and the millions of visitors to the areas governed by West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

The councils will continue to be two separate authorities, each setting its own budget and council tax. Both will still be able to deliver the services that local people want in the way that is most appropriate for their area.