​THE search for an authority’s new chief executive will cost taxpayers £13,000.

Newcastle Borough Council has hired recruitment specialists Solace Enterprises to find a replacement for its outgoing chief officer Mark Barrow.

The recruitment process is expected to take 10 weeks, with the new chief executive likely to take over in January after completing their notice period.

Mr Barrow will be leaving the borough council on September 24 to start his new job as strategic director of development at Birmingham City Council.

An interim chief executive appointed from outside the council will take over in the meantime and the full council will be asked to vote on this appointment next week.

Solace Enterprises was hired by the borough council following a competitive tendering process.

Conservative council leader Simon Tagg said the specialists’ fee was a price worth paying if it meant the right person was recruited.

He said: “This is the rate you expect to pay for this sort of service. We went through a similar process in 2006 when Mark joined us, and the price was more or less the same then.

“We put it out to tender and Solace Enterprises came back with the best bid.

“The interim chief executive will be approved by full council next week, and then Solace’s recommendation will be voted on in October. Whoever is chosen will have to work off their notice period, and so it is expected they will start in January.

“The council is a member-led authority and so we will have continuity during this time. We are currently working towards setting next year’s budget in time for February, and that work will continue.”

Mr Tagg said the council had considered the possibility of sharing a chief executive, an idea favoured by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has been sharing its chief executive Simon Baker with the neighbouring High Peak Borough Council since 2008.

This arrangement could eventually save the authorities £1 million a year.

But Mr Tagg said the borough council had ultimately rejected this idea as unworkable in Newcastle’s case.

He added: “We looked around at other local authorities, both within Staffordshire and outside the  county, but we found that they had all recently recruited their own chief executives.

“We felt a shared chief executive can only work if both authorities are looking to recruit one at the same time.

“But whoever is chosen as our new chief executive will be looking to save money by sharing services with neighbouring authorities.”

The new chief executive’s salary will remain at the £99,000 a year. paid to Mr Barrow.

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