Troubled Liverpool Council has named a new interim chief executive to work alongside the government appointed commissioners.
Following the resignation of Tony Reeves last month, Theresa Grant OBE has stepped into the breach at the Cunard Building on a temporary basis. The former Northamptonshire County Council boss will take up the role in September.
She is currently Relationships Director at Municipal Partners, a social impact company which works with local authorities to deliver housing solutions and better outcomes for communities. Relationship for a permanent post holder will begin shortly.
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Ms Grant said: "I am delighted to be appointed interim Chief Executive at Liverpool City Council. It is a vibrant, diverse and hugely passionate city. I am very much looking forward to working with Staff, Councillors, Commissioners and Partners, using my skills and experience to make improvements and deliver quality, value for money services for residents.”
Mr Reeves announced his resignation in July after four years in post as the local authority’s most senior officer. He was appointed in July 2018 having previously worked in the Cunard administration as a consultant.
The former boss of Bradford Council had faced intense pressure following a catalogue of council mistakes that have added an extra £16 million onto the city's electricity bill. In June, Mr Reeves faced down a meeting of angry councillors, with several calling for him to step down.
His deputy and chief finance officer, Mel Creighton, left her post in the midst of the energy debacle. In an email to colleagues confirming Ms Grant’s appointment, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said she had an “impressive track record of delivery, measurable improvements in contracting and procurement, debt collection, property assessment management services and tackling some long-standing issues in regeneration.”
Ms Grant was formerly chief executive of Trafford Borough Council and chief accountable officer for Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group. Prior to joining Trafford, she worked at Manchester City Council, where she also played a key role in the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Ms Grant was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2021 for her work in Northamptonshire. In an email to members, Mayor Anderson said Ms Grant worked with the government during her period in Northamptonshire and delivered financial sustainability with “widespread improvements to its services and leading on the delivery of two new unitary councils”.
Mayor Anderson described the new interim chief as “an exceptional professional, with a long and successful career in local government, in both Ireland and the United Kingdom.”
She said: “I am delighted someone of Theresa’s calibre is joining us to drive the council forward on our improvement journey. Her experience will bring fresh energy, positivity and a relentless focus on the challenges that lie ahead, so we become the council, the city and our residents deserve.
“I would like to thank Anne Marie Lubanski for continuing to act as Head of Paid Service until Theresa starts work.”
Mike Cunningham, lead commissioner added: "We are delighted that Theresa Grant will start in September as interim Chief Executive of Liverpool Council. She is a highly experienced leader with a track record of delivering improvement at pace.
“We are confident that she, along with a strong senior leadership team, will drive the positive change needed at Liverpool Council.”
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