Interim chief executive nameed for Cambridgeshire's troubled local enterprise partnership

Martin Whiteley, chief executive of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Martin Whiteley, who is chief executive of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, will take on the role with immediate effect and in addition to his current position.

He will replace the former chief executive Neil Darwin who resigned in April.

It is understood Mr Whiteley, who is paid £150,000 a year as chief executive of the authority, will not be paid extra for the interim role.

His appointment comes after the combined authority’s Mayor James Palmer called for the LEP to be brought under the wing of the authority in the wake of the government freezing future funding of £37.2 million until a review of the LEP was complete.

Mr Whiteley said: “We are pleased that the LEP Board have acted urgently and have accepted our offer of support.

“It is vital that the hard work and significant progress that has been made this year is not thrown off course, and by making this decision swiftly, we can get to work restoring the trust of the wider business community and central Government.”

It is understood the LEP will look to recruit a permanent chief executive.

Mark Reeve, LEP chairman, said: “We welcome Martin to the LEP team, and are looking forward to working with him to continue to deliver economic growth across the whole of the LEP area.

“Martin has a strong track record for bringing together a wide range of partners from the public and private sector, a skill that will serve him well here at the LEP.”

A statement from the combined authority read: “Martin has a highly successful track record as a leader in the public and private sectors, and in delivery of major programmes.

“He has a background in commercial organisations, central and local government.

“Martin started his career in the civil service, and then moved to Capita where he became Managing Director of the consulting business. After Capita, he co-founded Blue Marble Group, a strategic consultancy company that focused on created new models of service delivery.

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