Nottingham City Council names new chief executive

Nottingham City Council has appointed a permanent chief executive following the departure of Ian Curryer last year.

Mel Barrett will join the council from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, where he was also chief executive.

Katherine Kerswell has been in the role on an interim basis. She will remain until Barrett takes up his new role in Nottingham in September.

Prior to joining Basingstoke and Deane, Barrett was executive director of housing and regeneration at the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, where he worked to secure the HS2 Crossrail interchange station in the borough. Before that he was Oxford City Council’s executive director for city regeneration and director of the London Development Agency.

City Council Leader, councillor David Mellen, said: “I am delighted with Mel’s appointment to the role of Chief Executive at the City Council. He brings with him a wealth of experience at other councils and elsewhere and his credentials will undoubtedly help us to realise our enduring ambitions for the city beyond the current coronavirus crisis.

“Our Interim Chief Executive Katherine Kerswell will continue to steer the council through this difficult time where we are having to adapt and change to respond to issues the pandemic is presenting for our city. I’m confident she will hand over to Mel a council which is continuing to successfully deliver vital services to local communities and remains ambitious for a bright future for Nottingham.”

Barrett said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Chief Executive and I look forward to working with councillor Mellen, leader of the Council, members, officers and partners to build on the strong foundations in place, and to continue the vital work underway to support residents and further improve the city into the future.”