Bennett takes Wirral reins
Already serving as interim chief executive, Matthew Bennett’s appointment to the role permanently will be ratified at a meeting of full council next week.
Bennett, then the council’s director of finance, was appointed to the chief executive role on an interim basis in October last year, with the holder of the permanent position Paul Satoor on long-term leave.
Satoor, who had been in position for six years, resigned later that month.
Bennett’s ascension to the local authority’s top paid role went before Wirral’s senior officer and appointments staffing sub-committee at the end of January, and should now be rubber-stamped at full council, on 2 March.
Before joining Wirral at the start of 2023, Bennett was a long-time officer at Manchester City Council, where he held senior roles in areas such as adult social care, neighbourhoods, and commissioning, before being made director of commercial and operations in November 2019.
Does this appointment represent a line in the sand for Wirral, after a period typified by a churn of senior leadership exits? Cllr Paula Basnett took over a troubled local authority as Leader last summer, immediately announcing an independent review into a regeneration strategy that saw five regeneration leads depart inside three years.
Led by ex-Homes England executive director Mike Palin, the review reported its findings in November.
Having applied to the government for exceptional financial support of £6m for the financial year 2026/27, Wirral has received agreement in principle, with confirmation coming this week.
Basnett has done well in securing a modicum of cross-party support for the tough decisions ahead. Next year’s elections, however, will introduce Reform into the mix, which means another plate to spin. Like many authorities, Wirral is hamstrung by the staggering cost of adult and child social care, leaving little funding for anything else.
By Birket Boy
Re open Brackenwood
By Anonymous
Has he allocated enough council taxpayers money to extend the cycle lanes from Nocturam,Woodchuch, Rock Ferry, and all of the exotic places where Wirral Council allocated to. The cycle lanes could be extended via the South Liverpool access route to Quarry Street, Woolton Village.
By Anonymous