ARCHIVED news story
Council leader goes on YouTube in search for new chief executive
Released on 23 July 2008
This is a rare opportunity to take on a cracking job at the head of a businesslike and efficient council
Council Leader John Fuller
A council leader in Norfolk is advertising for a new chief executive - by going on YouTube.
South Norfolk Council Leader John Fuller uses his film to highlight a "cracking" opportunity to manage the only council in Norfolk rated "excellent" by Government watchdog, the Audit Commission.
It is also one of the very few in England to freeze Council Tax this year.
The post has a salary of over £100,000 a year. The successful candidate will be managing a £120m turnover council, delivering 86 separate services with around 430 staff (330 full time equivalents).
The YouTube video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/SouthNorfolkCouncil
Information about the top post can be seen here:
www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/chiefexecutive.
Candidates should send CVs to hrteam@s-norfolk.gov.uk by 15 August 2008.
The film lasts just under four minutes and was shot in an afternoon at the council headquarters by a local freelance cameraman.
Councillor Fuller said:
"Summer is not the ideal time to recruit a chief executive and using traditional routes could take three months and cost council taxpayers over £50,000. A fresh and innovative approach was required.
"Using new media like YouTube in conjunction with local press advertisement reaches more people, including private sector entrepreneurs who may not have considered working in the public sector before.
"There is concern at an employment merry-go-round for council Chief Executives taking each others jobs at ever more inflated salaries. I hope that this new approach will encourage new expertise and limit pay inflation for top staff.
"This is a rare opportunity to take on a cracking job at the head of a businesslike and efficient council. We serve over 116,000 people across 350 square miles, in one of England's most beautiful districts.
"We want someone with a track record of significant achievement, who can deliver and sustain change, and lead skilled, committed staff."
South Norfolk is a Conservative council. The Conservatives formed the new administration after a landslide win in the May 2007 local government elections. Councillor Fuller used new media in his campaign and has returned to it again for this post.
Among the first challenges this new chief executive will face is responding to draft proposals on local government reorganisation in Norfolk, published for consultation recently by the Boundary Committee for England.
The proposals were met with condemnation across Norfolk, among local MPs and local councils.
The YouTube presentation hit the internet after the council gave its approval to recruiting a new chief executive at its meeting this week.
There have already been around five informal expressions of interest in the position as a result of news getting round the local government grapevine. It is hoped the YouTube video will bring in more.
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Contact us
| contact officer/team: | Communications Team |
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| web: | online enquiry form |
| email: | communicationsteam@s-norfolk.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01508 533611 or 01508 533983 |
| minicom/textphone: | 01508 533622 |
| address: | South Norfolk House Swan Lane Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE |
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