The mayor of Brighton and Hove led the tributes to a long-serving senior town hall boss as he bowed out last night for a key job in Croydon.
Mayor Alan Robins said that Nick Hibberd would be “hugely missed” after he leaves his role as Brighton and Hove City Council’s executive director for the economy, environment and culture.
Mr Hibberd, 50, who leaves today (Friday 8 April), joined the council in 1995 as a housing adviser and tenancy relations officer.
He rose through the ranks to take up his present role, with its multibillion-pound responsibilities, in 2016.
Those responsibilities range from the regeneration of the seafront and the city’s housing stock through tourism and transport to the quality of the air that we breathe.
At Croydon, he will become the corporate director for sustainable communities, regeneration and economic recovery.
A previous chief executive of Croydon council set out ambitious plans to turn the London borough into the new Barcelona. More recently the council has faced financial turmoil.
At Hove Town Hall, the mayor said: “This is Nick Hibberd’s last full council meeting.
“Nick has worked for the council for many years and will be hugely missed by colleagues, members and our partners.
“He supported the council tirelessly in that time in a number of roles, most recently as executive director for the economy, environment and culture.
“I would like to express our thanks to Nick for all his service to the council and wish him all the best in his new role at Croydon.”
Outside the meeting, the Green leader of the council Phélim Mac Cafferty said: “At the heart of what makes Brighton and Hove a great place to live are the many people working behind the scenes in public services, doing all they can to support our city to grow and thrive.
“Nick Hibberd is precisely one of these people. Having worked with him for a decade, I know he pours enthusiasm, intelligence and above all an unstinting commitment to our city into everything he has done in his many years working for the local council.
“Nick has proven to be a tour de force for the organisation, working under many council leaders to drive forward a huge number of projects that are critical to the city and that span a huge range of work – from our environment, our city’s transport, major projects and culture. His has been a huge undertaking.
“On top of this, Nick has had a key role helping Brighton and Hove rise to the huge challenge of recovering from the difficulties of the covid-19 pandemic – everything from supporting our local economy and tourism to our culture sector.
“It’s clear that councillors of all parties have huge respect for Nick and we are extremely grateful for his work to date.
“We want to thank him for his dedication. He has done great things for Brighton and Hove and we know he will go on to do great things in Croydon.
“I remain hopeful we can win him back to the city in the future.”
The Labour group said: “Nick Hibberd’s commitment, expertise and experience will all be missed at Brighton and Hove City Council.
“We worked with Nick in setting up the city’s first ever climate assembly, building cycling infrastructure, rolling out electric vehicle charging points and much more, and he can leave Brighton and Hove proud of the legacy he leaves behind and the vital service he’s given to our city.
“We wish him the very best of luck in Croydon. Nick leaves some big shoes to fill in a crucial directorate, and we hope the council is able to fill them quickly with a permanent replacement, rather than local taxpayers having to pay above and beyond for an expensive interim appointment.”
Conservative leader Steve Bell said: “Having known Nick for some 11 years and in many different roles and responsibilities within the council, one thing which has never changed is his commitment and professionalism.
“Nick has always led from the front and looked to take no personal credit for his team’s actions, always praising them for their hard work.”
Councillor Bell added: “Nick was an officer who was available 24/7 and always responded with the solution or a way forward to resolve any issue. He always followed up on cases to ensure that we as councillors received the answers to these issues from his team.
“We will miss Nick, not only for his calm approach to problems but for his determination to see all issues addressed and resolved. We wish him every success in his new role at Croydon.”
When Mr Hibberd announced his departure, the council’s chief executive Geoff Raw said that he was a “highly skilled and motivated” senior leader.
Mr Raw said: “I’ve worked closely with Nick throughout my time with Brighton and Hove City Council and deeply value his judgment, his expertise and his managerial skills.
“Nick has a deep-rooted commitment to delivering excellence in public services and a track record of implementing ground-breaking and visionary city services and initiatives such as the establishment of the Greater Brighton Economic Board.
“Nick played a key role in the negotiations for the Greater Brighton City Deal, securing £100 million of ‘Growth Deal’ funding.
“Recently Nick led on the council’s Covid-19 Recovery and Renewal Programme, ensuring businesses in the city have access to grants, support and advice throughout the pandemic and has established the carbon-neutral programme that will transition the city towards net zero by 2030.
“Nick is highly respected among colleagues and councillors throughout the council. His motivation to do the very best for the city is boundless. I wish Nick all the best in the future at Croydon.”
Mr Hibberd said: “This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a new chapter for Croydon and help shape the future of the council.
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities and experiences that working in Brighton and Hove has given me and I’m proud of what we have achieved in the city together.
“There are many people whose work and dedication have made the city’s progress and growth possible.
“I would like to thank all the staff, councillors and all partners that I have worked with over the years for their commitment and support.”
