September 25, 2019 3.33 pm This story is over 53 months old

Former Lincolnshire County Council CEO exits new role after five months

His contract has been terminated

A former Lincolnshire County Council CEO who left the role after four months will leave his post at St Helen’s Council – after five months.

Keith Ireland left Lincolnshire County Council in November with £292,263 in salary and compensation payments.

His split from Lincolnshire came through a “mutual decision”, bosses explained previously.

He then joined St Helen’s Council as a consultant interim assistant chief executive in April.

In an email to his own party, seen by Local Democracy Reporters, Labour leader of St Helen’s Council David Baines said: “Keith Ireland will no longer be employed as a consultant by the council.

“His contract has been terminated and he has agreed not to work his notice period.”

The council stated his contract “came to a natural end”.

Mr Ireland was due to leave the authority when his original contract came to an end in July. His contract was extended while the council continued to fill the assistant chief executive role permanently.

The length of his previously agreed contract extension was not disclosed. Nor were details of any compensation packages, if any, awarded for the contract termination.

His position, which the council agreed to make permanent in July, would have come with a salary of up to £110,000.

Mr Ireland’s consultancy service reportedly cost St Helen’s Council £930 a day according to a Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy service in July.

Leader of the council, Councillor Martin Hill, and his former chief executive, Keith Ireland reportedly clashed on a number of issues.

He is not the only one leaving the authority. Its current chief executive will also be heading out the door this week.

St Helen’s authority officials say the two are not linked.

Mr Ireland’s Lincolnshire County Council salary equated to around £1,234 a day.

When he was hired he was contracted to £178,500 salary a year for his role as CEO and his pay-off included £133,875 compensation for loss of employment.

Mr Ireland was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list for his services to local government in relation to his previous work at City of Wolverhampton Council, where he was managing director from 2014 until 2018.


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