CHESHIRE West and Chester Council is searching for a new chief executive to succeed retiring Gerald Meehan.

Mr Meehan is stepping down from the position after a 32-year career in the public sector.

He has been off since Christmas recovering from an unexpected health condition.

A CWAC spokesman said that the new chief executive should have an excellent record in public services.

They said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council has an excellent record of providing the best public services, having built strong and productive external partnerships.

“The new chief executive will be expected to build on this success by continuing to develop relationships of the highest order with our partners to help deliver the local authority’s ambitions to 2020 and beyond – namely thriving communities, thriving residents and a thriving economy.”

In Mr Meehan’s absence, his absence his duties have been shared between the council’s two deputy chief executives, Charlie Seward and Delyth Curtis, and the chief operating officer Mark Wynn.

Cllr Samantha Dixon, CWAC leader, said: “The new chief executive must get the balance right between a strategic approach and a focus on outcomes.

“They will be expected to have a proven track record of senior leadership within a local government context, strong political acumen, the capacity to connect with staff at all levels and the ability to bring creativity to our decision making.

“They must be fully committed to improving the life chances of all our communities and to making Cheshire West and Chester a place where everyone counts and thrives.”

Cllr Dixon paid tribute to Mr Meehan, who joined the council in 2011 and took up his current role in 2016, saying he had done an ‘extraordinarily good job’ and wishing him a happy retirement.