Express & Star

Top chief at Wolverhampton City Council gets chop in savings

The assistant chief executive of Wolverhampton City Council has been axed after falling victim to cost cutting.

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Joanne Lancaster left her £87,425-a-year job on Friday, the Express & Star can reveal today. The authority's chief legal officer Susan Kembrey has also left her £83,150-a-year post.

The appointment of an assistant chief executive in 2008 was heavily critisced at the time as an unnecessary expense.

It comes almost two years after a cull of senior management which saw 13 of the highest-earning officers leave the council earlier this year to try to save £1 million.

There is now going to be a review of middle management as the authority battles to save £56.5m of cuts over the next five years

It has left 78 jobs vacant over the past six months and is banning overtime. Mrs Lancaster's post is likely to be deleted altogether.

Her job was created in 2008. Council chief executive Simon Warren said: "Three years ago, the council started a process of strengthening its senior management team.

"In light of the budget challenge we face – and the need to lead the city through the economic downturn – that process of creating a leaner and more fit-for-purpose management continues.

"If the city council is to lead the regeneration of the city, we must attend to the regeneration of the organisation at all levels."

He declined to comment on the reasons for Mrs Kembrey's departure.

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