South Tyneside Council, bit of a mess!

Skelton’s new job poses many questions.

Amanda Skelton, Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services on South Tyneside appears to be some sort of coy lady, not exactly prone to outbursts of open honest feedback, at least so it seems.

Readers may well remember that she was the top officer castigated by us all for covering up the Trow Quarry affair for eighteen months before finding so called expert witnesses to attempt to pacify us over the cocktail of toxins residing under our feet. The chemicals and carcinogens are still there, nothing has gone away, but we still wait news of whether South Tyneside Council has found the cash from central government to start building the armoured revetment that will keep the sea away from some of the pollutants.

Never one to be found down at the coast with her bucket and spade of course, because she’s too busy digging her way into a new career as Chief Executive of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, something has told her that she’s not too happy up here and that “the other mans grass is always greener”, however a read of the comments in my post about officers “jumping ship” will show that the grass in Redcar is every bit as none-green as the grass at Trow Quarry, Ms. Skelton is going to have her hands full keeping the lid on that one!

However, something is clearly amiss within the upper echelons of South Tyneside Council, it seems that leading officers are falling over themselves to get out of the door, could they be running scared   fearing a change in leadership next May? Amanda Skelton certainly shows signs of nervousness over her appointment as Chief Executive of Redcar and Cleveland and was clearly miffed that news hit the papers before leading members of Labour’s Cabinet knew the details for themselves, she wrote this to councillors yesterday:

“ Dear Members
You may have read an article in the Gazette last night about Cabinet being informed that I am leaving South Tyneside. I just wanted to set the record straight.
I have not resigned and there has been no official announcement. I have provisionally been offered the post of Chief Executive at another council. This needs to be agreed by a special meeting of their council next Friday. I am sure you will appreciate that it would presumptuous to make any statement before the council meeting. As soon as I am able, I will make a formal announcement, firstly to Members and then to staff.
I am very sorry that you have had to read about this in the newspaper. This is something we would all have wanted to avoid. Please can I assure you that as soon as I am in a position to inform people officially, Members will be the first to hear.”

Perhaps she was unaware that at the same time she was typing her words that Redcar and Cleveland Council were publishing the following press release:

“Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council is today delighted to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Amanda Skelton, currently South Tyneside Council’s Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services.

Council Leader Councillor George Dunning said: “I am delighted to welcome Amanda to Redcar & Cleveland. Amanda has an excellent track record and I am sure she will be a credit not only to our Borough but to the Tees Valley and the North East area as a whole.”

Amanda, who will succeed Colin Moore, who is retiring from the role after completing eight years in the job in December, said: “I am delighted to be joining the team in Redcar & Cleveland.

“I am looking forward to working with people in the Borough to provide the kind of services they want to see and help them to build a happy, prosperous community.”

Amanda, 46, has been Executive Director at South Tyneside for five years, with responsibilities for a wide range of frontline services including adult social care, planning, transport and housing plus community and cultural services.

She has helped South Tyneside move from a ‘fair’ authority to ‘excellent’, one of only ten nationwide to be classed as ‘four star improving strongly’.

Her career in local government has a housing and regeneration background, with vast experience in delivering frontline services. She has previously worked for City of Sunderland Council, Newcastle City Council and Salford Council before arriving in South Tyneside.

Amanda, whose appointment will be formally ratified at a full Council meeting on Friday, September 21, is expected to start work in her new role in the New Year.”

Just an example of the type of openness, honesty, and candour, to which we have become accustomed.

Who will be next to fill out an application form?