The former boss of Newcastle City Council will head a panel overseeing reforms at another North East authority branded “dysfunctional” and “distracted” in a damning report.
Pat Ritchie has been named as the chair of an independent board set up following a devastating review of Northumberland County Council’s governance. The Max Caller report, published in June, warned of a “climate of fear and intimidation” at the council and said that the effectiveness of its leadership had “deteriorated significantly” over recent years, after a breakdown in relations between politicians and senior officers.
That crushing report called for a new CEO to be brought in at the local authority, since when former boss Daljit Lally has left county hall with a six-figure payout, and made a raft of other recommendations to make sure Northumberland’s taxpayers are getting the best value for their money.
