The chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council is to leave for a new job after eight years at the helm.
Geoff Raw is due to become managing director of Be First, also known as Be First London, a new homes and jobs development company for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
He will remain in post for the council budget setting later this month and the local elections on Thursday 4 May.
Mr Raw, 60, joined the council in 2010 as one of four “super directors” – the strategic director of place – before becoming chief executive in 2015.
He said: “Brighton and Hove is an amazing city with a global reputation for creativity, innovation and vibrancy.
“It has been my privilege to serve the city and its communities for over 12 years, the last eight as the council’s chief executive.
“I’m very proud of what the council has achieved for its city over this time, despite wider economic challenges, budget constraints and a covid pandemic.”
Green councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, the leader of the council, said: “On behalf of the council, I want to thank Geoff for his many years of service to the city.
“His leadership has helped steer the organisation through truly unprecedented times including during the worst days of the pandemic and the hugely challenging budget.
“As the longest serving chief executive since Brighton and Hove came together as one council, I know he will be deeply missed by many including the valued city partners in health and from business. We wish him the very best of luck in his new role.”
The council said that details on the future leadership arrangements after the local election would be announced in due course.
Getting out while the going’s good! Guess it wouldn’t look good on the CV if the Council you were running went into special measures.
It’s crucial next time round that the new political administration doesn’t just take an easy way out and pick someone from within, as happened last time. What we need here is a talented and competent outsider (if one of those could be found and was willing to take on the job), who is up for the challenge of taking an objective view of the non-political administration and sorting out all the very many things that are wrong with it. I’m not particularly hopeful, but this is ‘last chance saloon’ time and we do not need any more CEOs or heads of departments steeped in ‘local government/civil service’ culture.
Time to take the opportunity to reduce the salary and package of the role of council CEO. Mr Raw gets paid over £180k plus extras – let’s see a more sensible package of £120k and no bonus.
Let us remember that Labour’s Warren Morgan booted out Penny Thompson because she correctly refused to let him have total control of the crucial Policy and Resources Committee because it was a hung Council. That cost close on £500,000 in severance and legal matters.