WORCESTER City Council has appointed a new man to lead the authority, following the imminent retirement of chief executive David Wareing.

Alan Stuttard will be appointed Acting Head of Paid Service from March 1 until the end of 2009.

Mr Stuttard will take on some of the responsibilities of the chief executive post supported by his five Corporate Management Team colleagues, as well as taking corporate responsibility for implementing the 2009/10 budget reductions as recommended in the recent Mouchel report.

Mr Stuttard has worked at Worcester City Council for more than 20 years and is currently head of the council’s Safer and Stronger Communities team.

Under his leadership, customer satisfaction in the department’s work has improved in spite of the fact that the department made budget savings of 25 per cent over the same period.

“This is critical time for Worcester City Council; our present level of funding requires a major review of the services we offer,” her said. “We will work with local people to determine what sort of council Worcester City aims to be going forward.”

Simon Geraghty, leader of Worcester City Council, said the interim management arrangements were unanimously supported by council.

“This agreement provides clarity to staff and partners about the the interim management of the authority during a period of considerable change," he said.

The decision to appoint Mr Stuttard follows the recommendation from Mouchel that it would not be in the interest of either the city council or county council to appoint the county's chief executive Trish Haines in a joint role.

The City Council will determine the long term leadership of the organisation during 2009 including a permanent replacement for the chief executive's post.