East Surrey Council, the new body created as part of a shake-up of local authorities, has named Adam Chalmers as its first chief executive.
New boss, sort of the same as the old boss: Adam Chalmers starts as East Surrey CEO in September
Chalmers starts in September, with the new authority fully coming into operation on what is being called “Vesting Day” on April 1, 2027.
Chalmers will be on a salary of upto £225,000 per year.
Chalmers’ appointment is very much like a case of “meet the new boss… same as the old boss”.
The “shadow” East Surrey local authority used the same firm of executive headhunters, Gatenby Sanderson, that have been hired by Croydon to find a new CEO. For their five-figure finder’s fee, Gatenby Sanderson recommended Chalmers, who is currently… checks notes… the interim CEO of East Surrey shadow council.
Scotsman Chalmers has been the chief executive at Elmbridge since June 2022. Elmbridge Borough Council is one of 12 local authorities to be scrapped, including district councils Tandridge, Epsom and Ewell and Reigate and Banstead, under the reorganisation.
Chalmers has worked in local councils for more than 20 years “with a strong track record of improving services, supporting communities and delivering value for residents”. Which sounds very much like the standard statement issued by local councils whenever they make a senior appointment.
East Surrey and West Surrey will take over next year from the previous two-tier system of Surrey County Council and borough and district councils, plans that were signed off by Croydon MP Steve Reed when he was Secretary of State for local government.
Reed’s scheme included an exceptional £500million debt write-off for basketcase council Woking, to avoid its debts being carried over to the new West Surrey authority.
Across the former Surrey County Council and 11 district and borough councils there are accumulated debts of around £5billion. The majority of that – £4.5billion – sits with councils in what is to become West Surrey. Woking has debts of £2.1billion. Spelthorne owes £1billion.
Croydon’s near neighbours on the other side of the Greater London boundary – Tandridge, Epsom and Ewell and Reigate and Banstead – will be absorbed into the new East Surrey Council, together with Mole Valley and Elmbridge.
Split Surrey: how the former district councils will sit within West Surrey and East Surrey
“Putting Surrey’s local authorities on a more sustainable footing is vital to safeguarding the services its residents rely on, as well as investing in their futures,” Reed said when unveiling the plan.
Streamlining to a unitary council system will see “quicker decisions to speed up house building and get vital infrastructure projects moving, while attracting new investment”, according to Reed.
East Surrrey’s “shadow” council is notionally under Liberal Democrat control. Following elections across the area held in May this year, it has 40 LibDem councillors, 10 Conservatives, eight Greens and five Reform Ltd, plus another nine councillors who are independents or aligned with various residents’ associations.
“From April 1 2027, shadow councillors will become full councillors, with responsibility for all council services in their respective areas,” says the shadow authority that covers geographic areas of Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge.
“During the shadow period, the authority is focused on putting the new council in place so that services can transfer smoothly and continue without disruption.”
Read more: Nobody thought having two Surrey councils was a good idea
Read more: £1,500 per day for bankrupt council’s third CEO in 10 months
Read more: £275,000: Loadsamoney Perry breaks the bank for new CEO
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12 councils in Surrey going down to only 2 councils (East and West Surrey) means fewer jobs for the “entitled” local government gravy train passengers. Does that mean there will be lots of applications for the next (permanent) CEO of Croydon Council, from desperadoes anxious to maintain their income stream?