Cheshire East’s chief financial officer Alex Thompson is set to leave the authority in a couple of months amid the council’s challenging financial outlook.
Thompson will leave the authority on 6 May to undertake a new role as executive director for finance and transformation at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. He has worked at Cheshire East Council since 2009 in various roles.
On his departure, Thompson said that he is “proud” to have been a part of the council’s “many successes” and thanked his corporate leadership team colleagues.
EFS request
The announcement comes as Cheshire East Council has requested up to £17.6m in Exceptional Financial Support from government to help balance its budget for 2023/24 and 2024/25.
According to the authority, the capitalisation directive would help “remove an immediate threat of a section 114 notice”.
Cheshire East’s budgetary pressures have been caused by “abortive costs” associated with HS2 and interest payments on high needs education, the council has said.
Since the EFS appeal, the government has written to Cheshire East to confirm receipt of the request, stating that it “will continue to work closely with council officers to find a way forward, i.e. by supporting the council to maintain a balanced budget for 2023/24 and set a balanced budget for 2024/25”.
New financial year
Speaking on Thompson’s departure, Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of Cheshire East Council, said: “I would like to congratulate Alex on his appointment as executive director for finance and transformation at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Alex has been a valued member of the council’s corporate leadership team and I thank him for his work as director of finance and customer services and section 151 officer.
“We are currently in the final stages of budget setting for the year ahead and Alex, and the team he leads, have shown remarkable dedication, commitment and drive throughout our budget-setting process. Alex will be leaving us in May, and so will be continuing to support the process into the new financial year.”
Cheshire East Council is set to put in place arrangements for Thompson’s replacement by an interim section 151 officer at a Council meeting on Tuesday (27 February), the same day in which the authority’s budget will be finalised.
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