Liverpool Council has appointed a permanent finance chief after a series of interim post holders costing thousands of pounds.
The local authority has confirmed Ian Williams will join from the London Borough of Hackney in early summer as corporate director of finance and resources. Mr Williams will replace the city’s fourth interim director in 12 months, Barry Scarr, upon the end of his contract.
It was revealed earlier this year, the city council had spent thousands of pounds a month to pay for a series of interim directors as it responded to the findings of the damaging Caller Report in 2021.
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After losing the deputy chief executive and finance boss Mel Creighton amid the expensive electricity contract errors last year, the local authority has been left filling one of its most major posts at the Cunard Building with interim appointments, an issue highlighted by the government appointed commissioners. Ms Creighton resigned in May 2022 after a litany of mistakes came to light regarding the council’s failure to properly renegotiate its electricity contract with Scottish Power.
That issue was when Liverpool Council’s cabinet resolved to pay £2.3m to schools impacted by ramped up energy bills as a result of its errors. Following Ms Crieghton’s departure, Chris Buss was appointed interim chief finance officer.
He left the organisation after just 10 weeks and was understood to not be able to commit to the role for as many days as required. Anne-Marie Lubanski, who stepped into cover as interim chief executive following the resignation of previous postholder Tony Reeves, also covered the finance brief until the temporary appointment of Ian Duncan in September for six months.
Mr Scarr was previously deputy chief executive and chief finance officer at Northumberland and Northamptonshire Councils. He replaced Mr Duncan at Northamptonshire in 2019.
Incoming finance head Mr Williams has spent the last 16 years as group director for finance and corporate services. He is also the borough’s statutory chief finance officer and stepped in as interim chief executive in 2021 and 2023.
Mr Williams said: “I am delighted to join Liverpool Council at such a pivotal point in its journey of improvement. I’m proud and humbled to take on responsibility for leading the council’s finance and resources team, ensuring that the services delivered truly represent value for money, are sustainable and are resident-focused.
“Liverpool is a fantastic global city as we see again this week in its welcome for Eurovision. Its people deserve the very best from their Council and I am excited to work with everyone to deliver that.”
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