New finance chief with six-figure salary set to be appointed by Northumberland County Council
Northumberland County Council’s appointment of a new financial chief from a neighbouring authority has moved a step closer.
Jon Ritchie is set to take over as the county council’s executive director of transformation and resources, moving from North Tyneside Council.
He replaces Jan Willis, who has been with the council since 2021 but will leave at the end of February for personal reasons.
Mr Ritchie will command a salary of £165,728 once he takes the helm in May.
The council’s staff and appointments committee has agreed Mr Ritchie’s appointment but the move will also need to be confirmed by full council later this month.
Council chief executive Dr Helen Paterson said: “We hope that he can start on May 1 – that is the date we’re working towards.”
With Mr Ritchie’s notice period running until May, the council’s current deputy 151 officer Alison Elsdon will “act up” when Ms Willis leaves the role until Mr Ritchie takes the reins.
Dr Paterson added: “There will be a gap between Jan leaving at the end of February. Alison is going to step up.”
Mr Ritchie’s was identified as the preferred candidate by a panel of councillors including Conservative council leader Glen Sanderson, deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth and cabinet member for finance Coun Nick Oliver alongside opposition leaders Coun Mark Peart of Reform and Labour’s Coun Scott Dickinson.
Mr Ritchie has been at North Tyneside Council for more than two decades across three separate periods of service.
North Tyneside chief executive Jackie Laughton said Mr Ritchie’s contribution had been “valuable and significant” adding that the council would be “sorry to see him go”.