Phillips to step in at Preston as Norris retires

Adrian Phillips, current director of environment at Preston City Council, is to be appointed as interim chief executive, replacing Lorraine Norris who will retire later this year.

Norris announced she would be stepping down from her role in February this year after nine years at the council. She joined as deputy chief executive before replacing former boss Jim Carr in November 2009.

Phillips has been director of environment at the council since April 2015, and was previously deputy director for nearly six years from mid-2009.

If agreed at a council meeting on 19 April, he will take up his role on a 12-month contract on 19 May. Phillips was one of two candidates for the role interviewed earlier this month.

During her time as chief executive, Norris has overseen major changes to the area including securing a City Deal. The leader of Preston City Council, Peter Rankin, will also not be standing in May’s local elections, and took a leave of absence last year following surgery on a brain tumour.

Preston joins Cheshire West and Chester as another local authority seeing changes at the top of its leadership. CWAC launched a search for a new chief executive last month, with Gerald Meehan due to retire later this year.