Worthing and Adur council chief retires

WORTHING and Adur councils’ chief executive Ian Lowrie will retire at the end of May next year after five years as top officer.

Mr Lowrie, aged 63, is leaving as the first chief executive to become responsible for the officer arrangements and management of two local authorities – Worthing and Adur.

Mr Lowrie said: “My 13 years as chief executive at Adur District, including the last five years jointly with Worthing borough, have been the most exciting and rewarding of my local government career.

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“It has been extremely satisfying to conclude 37 years of public service with the Adur/Worthing partnership initiative that has saved the local communities millions of pounds and has set the tone for so many other councils to follow,”

Adur Council leader Neil Parkin, said: “Ian Lowrie has been an inspirational and visionary chief executive, leading the Adur/Worthing partnership since its inception. He will be a hard act to follow.”

Agreeing with Mr Parkin, Worthing Council leader Paul Yallop said: “Over the next couple of years, Ian’s successor will need to drive forward the government’s Big Society agenda whilst slimming down the local government structure.

“So, in line with our residents’ wish to see democratic and management costs reduced, we will be taking this opportunity to make further savings.”

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With the financial pressures faced by all councils and as part of the continuing drive to reduce management costs, Adur and Worthing have decided to put in place interim arrangements for the chief executive post and strategic management.

These internal appointments will make further savings for both councils and will be subject to a formal selection process on a cross-party basis, advised by independent external experts.

A Worthing Lib Dem statement said: “We applaud the decision not to advertise for a new highly-paid chief executive in these challenging times, but we believe we must go further and act quicker on behalf of our residents to make the necessary savings made inevitable by the current financial situation.”

“Alan Rice, leader of Worthing Council’s Lib Dem group, said: “Ian has worked extremely hard over the years both in Adur and, more recently, in Worthing, and we recognise the effort he has put in. We wish him all the best for the future.”