EXCLUSIVE: CAMDEN COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE MOIRA GIBB STEPS DOWN

EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD OSLEY

CAMDEN Council chief executive Moira Gibb has today told staff that she will quit the Town Hall's top job after eight years in charge.

Ms Gibb said in a letter to council leader Nash Ali that she intends to leave the post at the end of the calendar year, giving Camden six months to recruit a replacement. It is one of the most highly-sought after jobs in local government and there will be no shortage of interest – even if the council reduces the salary the post attracts.

Ms Gibb said it had been an "enormous privilege" to have held the role. "I am very proud of the council and its many achievements. I am very proud to have been part of an organisation that has managed to strike such a good balance; it has performed consistently to a high standard without ever becoming blind to its shortcomings and has striven to improve continuously but remained a great place to work. This is a model for others in local government to emulate."

Camden council leader Nash Ali said: "At a time when the public sector is facing unprecedented attacks, Moira has been indispensible steering the council through one of he most challenging periods of financial uncertainty and risk. Unlike some other local authorities who planned to tackle the cuts from central government year on year, Moira and the senior management team she has assembled had the foresight to plan over the longer term. Moira will leave Camden in a much stronger position to continue to the delivery of services to our residents."

He added: "The council as part of our savings plan has already approved a lower pay scale for chief officers and we will be recruiting a new chief executive on this new lower salary. I would personally like to thank Moira for the guidance she has shown me and my colleagues when forming our new administration. For Camden, Moira will be a hard act to follow."