Council’s COO’s role ‘deleted’ in restructure of senior team

Birmingham City Council’s chief operating officer, strategic services, has announced she left the authority after almost three years in post.

The news of Angela Probert’s departure comes after the council said it was carrying out a restructure of the senior team, resulting in Probert’s post being “deleted”.

The senior management team has continued to undergo a lot of change in recent times. Chief executive Dawn Baxendale has been in post for 10 months, finance director Clive Heaphy for 12 months, assistant chief executive Jonathan Tew for 14 months, Dr Tim O’Neill took over at education last month, while adult social care director Dr Graeme Betts continues in an interim role.

Birmingham City Council said that during Probert’s three years in the role, the authority has seen a “difficult period” of national spending reductions and that Probert has overseen a series of changes and transformation which have contributed to budget savings since 2016.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Ian Ward, said: “At a time of substantial challenge and change for the council we are restructuring the senior officer team and sadly the chief operating officer post has been deleted. I thank Angela for her contribution and wish her well in her future career.”

Probert joined the Council in January 2016 and was acting chief executive for three months before the appointment of Stella Manzie as interim chief executive in April 2017.

She said: “The city council is on a journey of change and after three years in post, it is time for me to look for new opportunities and I formally left the council on 15th February.

“I remain passionate about public service and local government and wish the council well in the next phase of improvement. I leave behind some talented colleagues and wish to thank them and elected members for their support and commitment during my time with BCC.”

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