Adur and Worthing Joint Chief Executive announces retirement date

Monday 8th November 2010

Following a highly successful five year spell as the first chief executive to become responsible for the officer arrangements and management of two local authorities, Ian Lowrie, who will be 64 next year, has announced his intention to retire at the end of May 2011.

"My 13 years as Chief Executive at Adur District, including the last five years jointly with Worthing Borough, have been the most exciting and rewarding of my local government career. It has been extremely satisfying to conclude 37 years of public service with the Adur/Worthing partnership initiative that has saved the local communities millions of pounds and has set the tone for so many other councils to follow.", he said.

Adur District Leader, Neil Parkin, said: "Ian Lowrie has been an inspirational and visionary Chief Executive, leading the Adur/Worthing partnership since its inception. He will be a hard act to follow."

"I agree with Councillor Parkin. Over the next couple of years Ian's successor will need to drive forward the government's 'Big Society' agenda whilst slimming down the local government structure. So in line with our residents' wish to see democratic and management costs reduced, we will be taking this opportunity to make further savings", said Paul Yallop, Leader of Worthing Borough Council.

With the financial pressures faced by all councils and as part of the continuing drive to reduce management costs, Adur and Worthing have decided to put in place interim arrangements for the chief executive post and strategic management. These internal appointments will make further savings for both councils and will be subject to a formal selection process on a cross-party basis, advised by independent external experts.

When asked what he will be doing once he finishes at Adur and Worthing, Ian Lowrie said: "I will certainly not be putting my feet up. A number of organisations have already asked me to contribute to their work, including advice on shared management arrangements. I will accept some of those requests, stay involved in local organisations and add a bit of travelling to parts of the world that my wife and I have yet to visit."

"However, I have more than six months to go and there is still much to be done. But when the time comes I will truly miss the cut and thrust of this amazing job and wish both councils well in the future", he concluded.

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