Aberdeen awaits new chief exec
- Published: 13 August 2008 08:05
- Author: Robin Latchem
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 19 August 2008 16:02
Troubled Aberdeen City Council is preparing to welcome an interim chief executive.
Robert Coomber will take up the post on Monday, having served as Chief Executive and Director of Finance at Southwark LBC for 12 years.
In May, Local Government Chronicle reported that Douglas Paterson was retiring early as chief executive, noting that Scotland's Accounts Commission had called his departure "an immediate opportunity for new leadership at management level".
Last month, LGCplus reported that the council faced cuts of £50m – almost double earlier estimates.
The new figure was revealed months after a report from the commission found that the council faced "extremely serious" issues.
Also in July, the council hired former Kirklees MBC social services director Philip Cotterill to overhaul the council's social services.
Mr Coomber, 57, is described in a council press release as "a highly experienced local government executive with a wide range of managerial and financial skills derived from a distinguished career in four London boroughs".
Mr Coomber said: "I am looking forward to working in Aberdeen. This is an interesting job in an interesting place for a period of time that works for me and Aberdeen City Council."
