Peterborough Council spent £9,000 keeping finance chief for 47 days to support Hilton hotel project

Peterborough City Council’s former chief finance officer was re-employed for 47 days at a cost of just under £9,000 following her resignation.

Cecilie Booth joined the council in January 2022 as the executive director of corporate services and section 151 officer (CFO), with an overall responsibility for the council’s finances and a salary of around £175,000.

She left the role at the end of March 2025, but a freedom of information request has revealed that Ms Booth was re-employed by the council from April 1 to May 17 on a short-term appointment through an agency named Tile Hill Interim and Executive Limited.

The council agreed a daily rate with the agency, which could not be disclosed, and agreed a maximum spend on her contract of £22,600. However, the council actually spent £8,968 plus VAT for her services.

Explaining the reason behind Ms Booth’s temporary re-employment, the council said it was to “ensure that there was continuity and support” in relation to the Hilton Garden Inn hotel project, which she had been overseeing in her previous role.

Christine Marshall took over from Ms Booth as the council’s new chief finance officer in April.

Councillor Mohammed Jamil, deputy leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “The Hilton Hotel development is a complex matter and Cecilie had a vast amount of knowledge and experience because of her time spent leading this project.

“When Cecilie left the council at the end of March, we asked her to remain with us on a short-term interim basis, whilst our new Section 151 Officer, her replacement, settled into the role.

“This was to ensure that there was continuity and support in relation to the hotel project. That support has now ended and the project is being managed within existing resources.”

In 2017, Peterborough City Council agreed to pay a loan of up to £15m to the developer of the 160-bedroom Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Fletton Quays.

The hotel development was significantly delayed due to a slowdown in the construction industry following Covid. Work on the building halted in March 2023 and the developer was eventually put into administration in October the same year.

The amount owed to the council is now thought to be £17 million and efforts to sell the uncompleted building in October 2024 were scuppered after a preferred bidder withdrew at the last minute.

Peterborough City Council has been in talks with administrator Teneo this year around taking full ownership of the building. At the same time, the authority is talking to a contractor to complete the building work.

With a conclusion not expected for some time, the unfinished building stands empty and vulnerable to the weather, meaning the asset is going to be worth less and the costs to complete will increase.