A chief executive has been appointed to lead the new Westmorland and Furness Council.
Sam Plum, currently chief executive of Barrow Borough Council and interim head of paid service for Westmorland and Furness Council, will officially start in the new role from December 31.
Her appointment follows an extensive recruitment process, the authority said, and a senior appointments committee recommended her as the preferred candidate.
The appointment was formally confirmed at a meeting of Westmorland and Furness Council today, July 22.
Ms Plum has 25 years’ local government experience and has worked for authorities including Rossendale Borough Council, Pendle Borough Council and Bradford City Council. She has worked at a senior corporate leadership level for the past seven years.
She also played a leading role in the local government reorganisation planning for Cumbria, which will see the biggest change to Cumbria’s council structures since 1974, with two new unitary councils being formed to replace the existing set-up of six district councils and Cumbria County Council.
She will be leading the new unitary authority for the area currently covered by Barrow Borough, Eden District and South Lakeland District councils, and Cumbria County Council.
She said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Westmorland and Furness Council’s first chief executive. I believe passionately in local government, and its role in creating the conditions for people and places to thrive.
“Local government reorganisation gives a real opportunity to take the best of what we already have and combine that with new ways of working to build a new council that will be ready to improve outcomes across Westmorland and Furness.
“I am driven by the opportunity to set up the new council for success, to create an ambitious, progressive organisation, with compassion at its core.’’
Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council Jonathan Brook said: “Sam is an excellent leader and a highly skilled and experienced local government professional.
“I am very much looking forward to working with Sam on our journey to build a new council that delivers the very best outcomes for Westmorland and Furness residents, businesses and organisations.
“Sam has delivered a strong focus on community and place-building in her work in Barrow. In her recent roles as Interim Head of Paid Service for the new council and as returning officer in the recent elections in May, Sam has demonstrated the qualities needed to create a successful new authority. Sam acts with integrity and honesty and is able to build strong relationships, both within the new council and externally with our partners.
“I know Sam will be pivotal in helping us deliver the successful outcomes, both for our council and our communities, that we are working towards.”
Westmorland and Furness Council will act in shadow form for the next eight months, as it prepares for Vesting Day on April 1 2023, when it will take over responsibility for all services.
Until April 2023 all current services will continue to be delivered by the existing councils, overseen by the councillors on those councils.
