Preston City Council announces interim chief executive

Adrian Phillips was confirmed as interim chief executive of Preston City Council at yesterday’s council meeting.

He will replace the current chief executive, Lorraine Norris, who will be retiring mid-May.

Mr Phillips, the current director of environment, has worked on everything from the introduction of wheelie bins, Preston Guild 2012, to leading on major park restorations such as Avenham & Miller and Winckley Square, and as project sponsor for the Preston Markets redevelopment.

He said: “It has been my privilege to serve the city of Preston and the council for the past 32 years, and I look forward to continuing to do so in my exciting new role.

“I am passionate about supporting the city’s economic growth and development, and am ready to support councillors and partners to meet any challenges head on.

“The council has an ambitious agenda for the city, wanting the very best for our residents and we will continue to work creatively with partners to deliver results for every community and every part of Preston.

“Everyone benefits from a growing city and economy, and continuing the strong track record of development and partnership is a key priority.”

Chair of the cross-party appointment committee, Cllr Robert Boswell, added: “Following a rigorous interview process, including a guest panel of external stakeholders, we agreed to appoint Adrian as the interim chief executive, until May 2019.

“It was a strong competition between the internal candidates but we are confident that Adrian will be a great asset to the city council in this new role.”