QUESTIONS have been raised over whether Wirral Council should replace chief executive Graham Burgess when he retires at the end of the year.

Mr Burgess announced his retirement at Thursday’s cabinet meeting and said he will leave the authority on December 31.

The cash-strapped authority has now began the search for a new chief executive but Oxton Liberal Democrat Cllr Stuart Kelly says the role should be abolished to save money.

He said: “During this time when all posts within the council are subject to review it’s only right that we ask ourselves the question, do we really need a chief executive position commanding a salary which is nearly as much as the Prime Minister?”

The position currently costs Wirral Council £135,342 in pay alone and Cllr Kelly believes the recruitment process for a replacement could cost more than £20,000 once consultants are involved.

He added: “The council is currently consulting on axing school crossing patrols, decimating library opening hours, removing grit bins and slashing youth centres. In this climate there should be no protection of senior positions we do not need.

“Other councils around the country have abolished the role of chief executive including large authorities like Wolverhampton and Wiltshire – now is the time for Wirral to follow suit.”

Announcing his decision to leave the authority, Mr Burgess said: “When I took up post, I said that first and foremost, my role was to help shape the transformation of Wirral.

"Wirral is now a very different place to when I arrived, and I feel that now is the right time to hand over to let the next phase of this work begin."

The 62-year-old joined Wirral Council in September 2012 having previously been the chief executive of Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council. 

Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said: “We will continue the positive progress already made, and look forward to choosing a new chief executive to continue to take us forward into the next phase."

Birkenhead MP Frank Field called on the local authority to “seize the opportunity and appoint a candidate that would be the “envy of other authorities”.

He said: “The momentum for changing Wirral that has been built over the past few years must be capitalised and built upon.

“This is a defining moment for the council and for Wirral.”

  • What do you think? Should Wirral Council scrap the role of chief executive?