New chief executive at Lancashire County Council will earn £60,000 more than Prime Minister

A new chief executive is set to take over at Lancashire County Council.

Mark Wynn, 55, stepped into the top job on a temporary basis last August and has now been nominated to become the permanent boss at County Hall.

County councillors will be asked to approve his appointment later this month after he was selected by the authority’s employment committee to succeed Angie Ridgwell, who spent six-and-a-half years running the authority.

The powerful, non-political role – at what is one of largest councils in the country – comes with a salary of £236,960 a year. That is more than £60,000 in excess of the Prime Minister’s wage – and equivalent to £122.82 per hour.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands Mr. Wynn will not have the same level of financial responsibility as his predecessor did for much of her tenure – in spite of him being suitably qualified – after changes were previously made to the chief executive‘s duties.

When Ms. Ridgwell took charge in January 2018, the chief executive role was combined with the post known as the ‘section 151 officer’ – the person ultimately responsible for the proper administration of a council’s finances.

It was part of what was, at the time, a politically controversial restructure of Lancashire County Council – without precedent at a similar-sized authority – which the ruling Conservative group said was necessary to put it on a sound financial footing.

Ms. Ridgwell retained the dual responsibility until Spring 2023 when the roles were quietly split once again – with the section 151 officer duty passing to Mr. Wynn himself when he first arrived at the authority as executive director of resources.

He currently retains section 151 status, but the LDRS has been told someone else will be appointed to that role if he is formally confirmed as chief executive at council meeting on 26th February.

Mark Wynn said he felt “incredibly privileged and excited” to be recommended for the chief executive job, adding: “I am very much looking forward to permanently leading the team at Lancashire County Council as we work to better the lives of all our residents.

“Since coming to Lancashire I have been very impressed by the commitment of both the council’s members and our talented employees as we work to make a difference and I know that together we can achieve so much.

“I have always been passionate about local government and improving outcomes for both residents and businesses – and it is important to me that we deliver high quality services while also looking to innovate and improve what we do.

“It is no secret that this is a demanding time for local government as a whole with many challenges ahead, but I am pleased to say that the council is in an extremely good position to deliver its ambitious vision for the future detailed in our newly launched council plan.”

Amongst the most pressing items in the new boss’s in-tray will be the request from the government last week for councils in two-tier areas like Lancashire to start drawing up proposals for their own abolition and replacement as part of a shake-up to slash the overall number of local authorities. While ultimately a matter for the politicians, senior officers will be heavily involved in what is likely to be a complex and controversial process.

Commenting on Mr. Wynn being recommended for the chief executive role, county council leader Phillippa Williamson said he was a “proven leader”.

“I welcome the recommendation to appoint Mark to this very important role.

“Mark…has made a big impact since joining the council, helping to drive change and transform the way we deliver services to the people of Lancashire,” County Cllr Williamson said.

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