Jane Robinson, Assistant Chief Executive since 2005, will take over when the current post holder, Roger Kelly, retires at the end of March, after eight years in the job.

 

A Special Appointments Panel agreed unanimously that she should be offered the post, and that was ratified on Thursday (12/1/12) by the full Council.

Leader of Gateshead Council, Mick Henry, believes that as the Council faces challenging times making budget reductions, it needs someone with the right experience and vision.

Cllr Henry said: “Jane is an excellent choice for Chief Executive. She has all the experience and expertise we are looking for to help steer the Council through the tough times ahead.”

Before joining the Council, Jane Robinson worked in the cultural sector, including the Arts Council, Northern Arts and Tyne & Wear Museums.

Jane said: “I am extremely proud to be offered this opportunity. There are undoubtedly tough times ahead, but Gateshead Council has an excellent track record of officers and councillors working together with partners to deliver what local people want.

“We have a great team of staff at the Council and I firmly believe we can meet any challenges we face, by continuing to be creative and ambitious for Gateshead.”

“Gateshead’s reputation is built not just on ambition, but also on an ability to deliver. We have a host of major projects taking place, for example the redevelopment of the town centre; Northern Design Centre; major housing projects plus local centre developments in Blaydon, Felling and Birtley. But at the same time, we won’t lose our focus on delivering the high quality day-to-day services we provide to local people in the best possible way to meet the needs of Gateshead residents.”

Jane was previously director, external relations, of Arts Council England, North East, and led the implementation of a £250m capital strategy, including The Sage Gateshead. She pioneered the Arts Council’s support for creative industries, developing the Cultural Sector Development Initiative, a major business development programme.

She holds masters degrees in English Literature and Business Administration. She is a member of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a non-executive director of Live Theatre. She is married with three young sons.

Since Gateshead Council was formed in 1835 only nine people have held the title of Town Clerk, which became Chief Executive in 1974, and the post has never been filled by a woman