THE TENURE of a ground breaking local authority chief executive has been applauded by a senior colleague at the news of his impending departure.

It has been announced that Mel Barrett is to leave Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council this summer, bringing his five-year tenure to an end.

Mr Barrett is continuing to lead the Council’s response to the coronavirus outbreak and recovery planning for the area. As councillors consider arrangements for his replacement, Council Leader Cllr Ken Rhatigan said: “Mel has been a tremendous support since I became Leader in May 2019. He has always navigated change and challenge well with a calmness that is a real strength.

Thinking

“Residents are always at the heart of Mel’s thinking and he has built teams that react to their concerns. This is evident in the way that the council has focused on providing essential support to people, communities and businesses during the coronavirus crisis, as well as continuing to deliver frontline services.

“He will be a hard act to follow, but we now start the search for the next person to lead the officer team at our high performing council into the post-COVID-19 world, as we all work together to do our best to ensure the borough continues to thrive in the future.”

In response, Mel, who previously worked at senior levels in housing and regeneration in London (Hammersmith and Fulham Borough) and Oxford City Council, said: “It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as Chief Executive of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for the last five years.

Continue

“I have seen how hard the staff team work and how committed the councillors are to doing the best for the people they serve. Working together, this has allowed the council to achieve so much, and to continue to provide services which, time after time through our Residents’ Survey, people here tell us contribute to making Basingstoke and Deane a great place to live.”

Mel, also a former director at the London Development Agency, has been appointed Chief Executive at Nottingham City Council and is expected to take up his new role in August.