East Herts Council's CEO and finance chief to leave authority
East Herts Council’s Chief Executive Officer and finance chief are both leaving the authority. The council announced shortly after 5pm on Friday (13 September) that CEO Richard Cassidy was stepping down with immediate effect, and have since confirmed that Steven Linnett, head of strategic finance & property, will retire at the end of November.
Helen Standen, deputy CEO, will serve as acting CEO until a permanent replacement is appointed. It is not yet clear why Mr Cassidy has stepped down, and no timescale has been given for the hiring of a new CEO. Mr Cassidy has spent 40 years working in local government and joined East Herts Council in 2019 from Fenland District Council, where he was Corporate Director. His final day at East Herts was Sunday, 15 September.
Mr Cassidy said: “I have really enjoyed my time working for East Herts, having led the organisation through Covid and during a subsequent period of significant change and delivery for the council. I have every confidence that they will continue to develop services in the face of the pressures facing local government.”
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Cllr Ben Crystall, leader of the Green-Liberal Democrat-run council, said: “We thank Richard for his service and leadership over the past 5 years, and we wish him every success and happiness for the future.”
On Mr Linnett’s departure, a council spokesperson said: “His decision to [retire] was announced internally months ago and it has always been his plan to retire from a long and distinguished career in local government sometime this year.”
Leader of the Conservative opposition, Cllr Bob Deering, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the news of Mr Cassidy’s departure was a “surprise”. He said: “We are very grateful to Richard for all the efforts he’s put in over the years he’s been with East Herts District Council.
“Obviously, we won’t know why he’s leaving at this time - not least because there have been other departures in recent weeks and months which have also come as a bit of a surprise.”
Rhys Thomas left his post as Director of Hertford Theatre - now known as BEAM - in July, shortly before the theatre reopened after a three-year overhaul. He had spent 13 years in the post, and is now director of Chelmsford Theatre in Essex.
The Hertford Theatre project saw a significant overspend, with the facility costing £30.2 million to complete against an original estimate of £18.8 million Officers warned councillors in January that if they did not approve additional funding to complete the Theatre - therefore securing future revenues from it - the council may have become effectively bankrupt.
Ben Cannell, BEAM’s hospitality and operations manager, also left the authority this month, according to the Bishop’s Stortford Independent. Last week, the council’s Human Resources Committee heard that 42 jobs at the authority - 13.5 per cent of the total - are currently unfilled
Reacting to the news of Mr Cassidy’s departure, Cllr David Jacobs, leader of the Labour group, said: “I would like to thank Richard for his work over the last five years in leading East Herts through some difficult times, not least the change in administration last year.
“On a personal level he has always found time to offer advice and guidance to me as a newly elected group leader, for which I am grateful. I would encourage the joint Green/Liberal Democrat administration to move quickly to confirm any interim arrangements following Richard’s departure and to accelerate the search for a replacement.
“The Chief Executive has a statutory as well as a leadership role and it is vital that we have a steady hand leading the council as soon as possible. This is the most important role within the council and we will need a high-quality candidate to face the many challenges, both financial and otherwise, that East Herts is dealing with.”