Council Appoints New Interim Chief Executive

Swansea Council has appointed a new interim Chief Executive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil Roberts will take up the post in May 2016 following the retirement of the current Chief Executive Jack Straw who announced last year he wanted to stand down. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It is an interim appointment to allow the Council flexibility in case of future local government reorganisation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Roberts is currently the authority’s Corporate Director of Place with responsibility for service areas including corporate building and property services, waste management, transportation and highways, culture and tourism, economic regeneration and planning, and housing and public protection. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of the Council, Rob Stewart, welcomed the appointment and paid tribute to Mr Straw. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said: “Jack is an excellent Chief Executive who has the respect of his colleagues, Councillors and those across local government in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“He has helped lead the authority through very challenging financial times which has been highlighted in the recent and positive Peer Review and Wales Audit Office Corporate Assessment which looked at all aspects of council services.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added: “I welcome the appointment of Phil Roberts as his successor and we are very grateful to have been able to find such a strong candidate from within our own ranks for this important leadership role.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil Roberts, aged 54, joined Swansea Council in 1986. He was appointed Swansea’s Head of Housing in August 2003 and was Interim Director of Social Services and Housing between August, 2004 and March, 2005. In 2006 he was appointed Director of Regeneration. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jack Straw joined Swansea Council in 2005 as Director of Social Services and Housing before being appointed Executive Director in 2009. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He began his local government career in Nottingham and later became Assistant City Treasurer for the former Swansea City Council in 1989. He has also held a number of senior posts in the NHS in Wales and was Chief Executive of the Swansea Local Health Board until 2005. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He has been Chief Executive since 2011 and will stand down after annual council in May. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​