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26
Aug
North Yorkshire Council chief executive announces departure
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North Yorkshire Council chief executive Richard Flinton is to step down at the end of March, it was announced today (August 26).
Scarborough-born Mr Flinton will leave the £211,000-salary post two months before council elections take place.
The council said a recruitment campaign for a new chief executive “is due to begin in the coming weeks”.
Mr Flinton, whose career in local government has spanned nearly 40 years, said:
This has been an extremely difficult decision to make, and I have loved working with so many great people committed to doing their best for North Yorkshire’s residents and businesses.
However, the time feels right ahead of the next elections, in May 2027, and with the work of merging eight councils into one new unitary authority largely completed.
Local government across the country is in a challenging situation facing huge demand and severe financial pressures. However, North Yorkshire Council is strong and well placed to face these. It has already gained an enviable reputation for strong service delivery and championing our county.
Mr Flinton joined local government in North Yorkshire as a trainee trading standards officer in 1987.
He went on to become assistant head of trading standards and regulatory services, assistant director for business and community services, assistant chief executive for policy, performance and partnerships, and corporate director of business and environmental services before being appointed chief executive of the former North Yorkshire County Council in 2010.
When North Yorkshire County Council was abolished in 2023 as part of a shake-up of local government that also saw the demise of Harrogate Borough Council, Mr Flinton became chief executive of North Yorkshire Council.
During the past 16 years, he has also been the shareholder representative of the council-owned Brierley group of companies.
Mr Flinton said the launch of North Yorkshire Council after the county’s previous eight authorities merged in April 2023 to form a single organisation was among the achievements he is most proud of.
He also helped to deliver a devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire.
Conservative council leader, Cllr Carl Les, said it was “a moment to congratulate him for helping to deliver many important projects none more so than devolution and the successful creation of a new council in the largest local government reorganisation in the country”.
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