Cambridgeshire County Council considers job share as a way to replace its chief executive

Mark Lloyd (Image: Archant)

The county authority has confirmed it has approached Gillian Beasley, who occupies the role at Peterborough City Council, with a view to her working for them on temporary basis as well.

Outgoing chief executive Mark Lloyd is leaving to go to the Local Government Association, and the job share could even become a permanent way of replacing the £190,000 chief officer.

Ms Beasley, who previously worked for the county council, has been in charge at Peterborough City Council since 2002.

She has reportedly been given the green-light to take on the added responsibility, if she feels she would be able to cope with the additional work load.

City council leader Councillor John Holdich told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire he thought Ms Beasley should take the post if she thought she could cope.

But the potential job share will not see the two authorities reuniting as one, as it once was before the city council became unitary authority.

A county council spokesman said: “The county council is considering a range of options and nothing has been ruled in or out at this stage. It should be noted that the option of recruiting a new chief executive has not been ruled out either.

“We have approached Peterborough City Council to consider sharing a chief executive on a temporary basis as one possible option. No decision has been made, but both authorities are exploring the practicalities of how such an arrangement might work. A decision on the role of the Council’s most senior manager can only be made by a meeting of the full council which could happen this October.”

A spokesman for Peterborough City Council said: “We can confirm an approach has been made by Cambridgeshire County Council to consider sharing our Chief Executive on a temporary basis.

“We are currently discussing this proposal with Cambridgeshire County Council and a decision is yet to be made.”