A FORMER police officer in his 30s is set to be named the next chief executive of Wales’ largest council, the Echo can reveal today.
Jon House, 39, has been picked for the £175,000-a-year top job at Cardiff council from a shortlist of five candidates who were interviewed by a panel of city councillors.
Mr House is the current deputy chief executive at Bristol council and was previously the Commander of Sheffield police – an equivalent role to the chief superintendent in charge of city policing in Cardiff.
Council leader Rodney Berman said Mr House had won over the panel with his “vision and drive”.
Coun Berman said: “Jon House impressed the committee greatly with his vision and drive and I am very pleased that we are able to recommend such a strong and able candidate to the rest of the council. The new chief executive will be at the forefront of meeting the challenges of improving and developing services for the customers, citizens and communities of Cardiff as well as overseeing the global reputation of the city.”
The appointment has to be ratified by a meeting of the full council at City Hall on Thursday.
Mr House was chosen after interviews on Friday by a panel of councillors who included leader Rodney Berman, deputy leader Neil McEvoy, Lib Dem councillor Fenella Bowden, Conservative group leader David Walker and Labour’s Russell Goodway.
At 39 years old, he is younger than any of the other senior team in Cardiff, which includes corporate directors Paul Orders and Neelam Bhardwaja, as well as city finance chief Christine Salter, HR boss Philip Lenz and top legal officer Kate Berry.
He will become one of the youngest council chief executives in the UK. Former chief executive Byron Davies was 45 when he took the top job at South Glamorgan council in 1992.
Acting chief executive Tom Morgan, who has been in the positiontop job following former chief executive Byron Davies’ sudden retirement at the end of last year, is intending to retire when Mr House takes up the role, which is expected to be in September.
Coun Berman paid tribute to Mr Morgan.
He said: “I would like to express my sincere thanks to Tom Morgan who has done a fantastic job taking the helm for the last few months, ensuring the smooth running of the council and providing some much-needed continuity in driving the city forward.”
