Up to £200,000 a year may have encouraged the high interest in becoming Dorset Council’s next chief executive.
Council leader Nick Ireland says there has been a large number of inquiries about the top post, shortly to be vacated by Matt Prosser who is moving to New Zealand to become chief executive at Wellington city council.
“We have had a huge amount of interest. I have spoken to fifteen prospective candidates so far; there are a lot more; and there’s a lot more completed applications,” said the council leader.
He said of those he had spoken to many had great skills and some may end up on the short list.
Cllr Ireland said that around £50,000 had been saved on the recruitment process by running it in house, rather than go out to specialist recruiters, as has happened previously.
It is likely that an interim chief executive will be appointed once Mr Prosser leaves the council – typically senior officers have to give three, or more, months’ notice when leaving a high level post.