County Council chief quits post

Published Date: 29 April 2008
By ROBERT BROOKS
MARK Henderson, who has just stepped down as chief executive of Northumberland County Council, will remain with the authority until the end of May, it has been announced.
Related story: County council chief quits postIn a statement released at 4.35pm, it was confirmed that the County Hall boss will leave prior to the appointment of a new chief executive in June.Mr Henderson has been with the county council for nearly five years.His decision to leave was agreed by the Staff Committee which met in private on Monday.But there will be no public disclosure of Mr Henderson's final settlement because the terms of the severance were confidential.The authority confirmed, however, that Mr Henderson had voluntarily waived his right to a significant sum he could have received had he stayed on and been made redundant.They said he had also fulfilled the requirement of the controversial £30,000-a-year retention bonus granted in private by council leader Peter Hillman last October, but had asked that the payments cease.Mr Henderson said: "I am proud of my contribution to Northumberland but feel it is time to move on and for a new chief executive to come in right at the start of the creation of a new council".Coun Hillman said of Mr Henderson's departure: "I am sad to see Mark leaving but I also feel that this is a good time for a new person to come into one of the top jobs in local government."I would thank Mark for his time at the county, and wish him well for the future."The authority also confirmed that Mr Henderson has received a severance package from the council.This is consistent with his normal entitlements.A council spokesman said "It was sensible to come to this arrangement now, not least as we can now be very clear to potential candidates for the post that there is no competition from the current chief executive."Mr Henderson intends to start up his own consultancy company in the near future.