Council Confirms Reorganistion Is Being Considered

Published on: 27 Sep, 2013
Updated on: 1 Oct, 2013

Rumours circulating about proposals to restructure Guildford Borough Council would appear to have some basis in fact.

A council spokesperson, when asked if they were true, said: “We can confirm the council is considering a new structure which will form the basis of a report to full council on 10th October.”

Currently the structure of the council is a council leader and a deputy leader who together with a further eight appointed councillors form an Executive (akin to the government’s cabinet). A further 38 back bench councillors have various committee roles and also organise themselves into political party groups.

Cllr Murray Grubb Jnr.

Two councillors, Murray Grubb Jnr (Con, Ash Vale) and Gordon Jackson (Con, Pirbright), were recently appointed to the Executive by council leader Stephen Mansbridge, increasing its number to, the maximum permissible, 10. Cllr Grubb, only elected in a by-election earlier this year, is now the lead councillor for transformation and Cllr Jackson the lead councillor for economic development.

Cllr Gordon Jackson.

Answering to the elected councillors are more than 700 council officers and staff, led by a chief executive supported by three strategic directors. David Hill, the chief executive, has been on special leave since June for reasons which the council says it cannot divulge. Sue Sturgeon, one of the strategic directors has been deputising.

Peter Lerner has recently been appointed as a part-time strategic director, on a consultancy basis, to assist the management team. He has considerable experience of local government as a former chief executive.