Thank you for taking an interest in the role of Chief Executive at Solihull Council.
We pride ourselves on being a Council that is small enough to care, but big enough to make a difference.
I am proud that we have supported and developed a strong local economy that continues to thrive and prosper. We are a place where people want to do business and want to live. We have a proven track record in attracting investment and jobs, and our reputation for delivering high quality services to our residents and businesses is second to none.
We are a prudent council financially. Our Medium-Term Financial Strategy has allowed us to plan effectively and continue to invest in our people and places.
I am passionate about the environment, and we are committed to our Net Zero Action Plan. We have been recognised by Climate Emergency UK as one of the country’s highest performing councils when it comes to having a strong and robust climate action plan. Our proven track record in regeneration and our UK Central programme allows us to continue to invest in new economic opportunities across the borough to improve the lives of all.
We’ve always been a quietly confident place, getting on with the work we need to do while being ambitious for our residents’ future. That means we won’t be afraid to take risks, innovate and challenge as we make the most of what Solihull has to offer our residents, our partners and the country.
From my perspective, you’ll be joining an organisation with fantastic employees. I know that they are passionate, committed and focused on making our borough the best it can possibly be for residents.
It will come as no surprise that addressing the challenges we face and investing in our Children’s Services is our top priority. We are on an improvement journey, as we aren’t where we want to be. We have a clear agenda for improvement, and following the recommendations of our Children’s Commissioner, we are working as quickly as we can to address these.
We are blessed with vibrant and diverse communities, but our popularity as a place to live and work is a double-edged sword. Creating enough housing to meet the demand for both housing, business and industry brings its own issues, and we are currently working to finalise our Local Plan.
Despite our best efforts, there is still a disparity in life expectancy between the north of our borough and the south. Our focus remains ensuring that everyone has an equal chance to be healthier, happier, safer and more prosperous.
We are looking for somebody who can build on our strengths, help us through the serious challenges in our Children’s Services, and lead an organisation that continues to provide the high-quality services that our residents expect and need. If you have what it takes to lead our organisation, I look forward to receiving your application.