Officers appointed for shared Peterborough and Cambridgeshire council management roles

Appointments have been made for officers to work at both Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council as the two authorities continue to share managers.
Wendi Ogle-Welbourn and Adrian ChapmanWendi Ogle-Welbourn and Adrian Chapman
Wendi Ogle-Welbourn and Adrian Chapman

Five people have been chosen by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough employment committees to work across both councils, with two of the individuals needing final approval before being confirmed into their new roles.

The shared management arrangements will lead to savings of just over £1 million for Cambridgeshire County Council and £200,000 for Peterborough City Council.

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Both authorities currently share the same chief executive - Gillian Beasley - and director of public health - Liz Robin.

Lou WilliamsLou Williams
Lou Williams

Peterborough City Council leader Cllr John Holdich said: “I am delighted with the wealth of experience represented by the officers who’ve been appointed to these joint roles - which is essential because these services are vital for so many vulnerable people.

“Peterborough and Cambridgeshire councils already work well together, and by introducing this new management structure we can do better and go further - pooling expertise, sharing skills and removing duplication.

“We will also use this joint arrangement to buy services for our residents through our joint purchasing panel. This should allow us to make even greater savings to reinvest in these much needed services.”

The appointments are:

Charlotte BlackCharlotte Black
Charlotte Black
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Wendi Ogle-Welbourn - currently interim joint director across both the county and city councils - was confirmed in her role as executive director for people and communities for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire

Charlotte Black – currently service director: older people’s services and mental health at Cambridgeshire County Council - was appointed in the joint service director role covering adult services

Will Patten – currently children, families and adults transformation director at Cambridgeshire County council - was appointed in the joint service director role covering commissioning. He was already covering commissioning for the city council

Adrian Chapman - currently service director for adult services and communities at Peterborough City Council - was appointed, subject to confirmation by the Peterborough City Council Employment Committee, to the joint service director role for community and safety services

Will PattenWill Patten
Will Patten
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Lou Williams – currently service director: children’s services & safeguarding at Peterborough City Council - was appointed, subject to confirmation by the Peterborough City Council Employment Committee, as the joint service director for children’s services and safeguarding.

Wendi Ogle-Welbourn – a qualified social worker who brings 30 years’ experience in authorities across the south east including Essex and Bedfordshire - was appointed last October in the temporary joint role of executive director of children, family and adult services at Cambridgeshire County Council and corporate director of people and communities at Peterborough City Council.

No appointment was made to the joint director of education role, which will now be advertised nationally.

A council spokesperson said: “The benefits of a joint approach include working with partners and a strengthened focus on a potential second devolution deal focussed on social care and tackling deprivation.”

Lou WilliamsLou Williams
Lou Williams
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Cambridgeshire County Council leader Steve Count said: “The calibre of senior officers across the two councils was evident to the joint appointment committees who met on Friday. We were happy to be able to confirm the appointments to both councils.

“Instituting this new management structure will allow us to realise more long-term benefits around better buying power, efficiencies in costs and working with our partners in health, criminal justice and other parts of local and national government.

“But in particular it allows us to capitalise on opportunities presented by devolution, as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have talked about a second devolution deal with a focus on tackling areas of multiple deprivation and integrating health and social care.

“With a joint structure we can speak with one voice and maximise our effectiveness.

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“But at the same time, this in no way diminishes either councils’ sovereignty as both sets of councillors will continue to make the best local decisions for their own residents through the usual governance processes.”

A number of the existing roles were vacant and covered by interim appointments pending this decision.