A chief executive for the new East Midlands Combined County Authority has been appointed — with a salary of £185,000
A chief executive for the new East Midlands Combined County Authority has been appointed — with a salary of £185,000.
Amy Harhoff, currently a director at Durham County Council, will take up the new chief executive role at the East Midlands Combined County Authority early in the New Year.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service can confirm that Ms Harhoff’s salary will be £185,000 — nearly double East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward’s salary of £93,000.
According to available information, the new East Midlands chief executive salary appears to be the eighth highest, and fourth lowest, out of the current 11 combined authorities, with Greater Manchester’s having the highest at £240,000, while the West Midlands’, for comparison, has a salary of £195,000.
The East Midlands chief executive salary has not been published in public documents or discussed publicly by the authority and had to be requested by the LDRS.
A brief document on Ms Harhoff’s appointment was published following a EMCCA meeting last week (November 4) with a press release detailing the appointment in late October.
It had detailed in a brief document: “Provision has been made within the budget for the costs of a permanent chief executive for EMCCA and it is anticipated that the costs of the proposed chief executive would be within this budgetary provision.”
Ms Ward, whose Mayoral salary is fifth highest out of the directly elected mayors, told the November 4 meeting that the appointment was a “really exciting time for this authority to move to the next stage of our development”.
She said in a press release: “I’m very pleased to welcome Amy as our first permanent Chief Executive after a very rigorous recruitment process aimed at making sure we found the best person for the job.
“Amy’s experience, knowledge and passion for supporting strong, proud, and sustainable places makes her an ideal chief executive for EMCCA.
“This is a vital role for our region and she will play a key part in working with me and partners across the East Midlands as we make it the best place to live, work and learn.
“I’d also like to thank our current interim chief executive, Mark Rogers, who has played such an important part in our devolution journey and the creation of EMCCA. He has put in place strong foundations for Amy to build on.”
An EMCCA spokesperson said: “The EMCCA operates in an extremely competitive market, with the need to attract top talent to lead the organisation.
“Offering a competitive salary reflects the complexity and significance of the chief executive role, as well as the scale of responsibilities, which include a wide range of duties, and the ability to manage large budgets as well as delivery of the ambitious targets for the East Midlands.
“The annual salary of £185,000 offered for this key role for the region is comparable with similar roles nationally.
“EMCCA is required to publish the agenda papers for its board and committees in line with legislative requirements, this includes the publishing of such papers five clear working days before the scheduled meeting to consider them.
“At the time of publication, the name of the new chief executive was not in the public domain and so the item to confirm appointment was deemed to be a private and confidential paper, exempt from inclusion in the public agenda pack.
“The name of the new chief executive entered the public domain following publication of these papers and the item was discussed in public and webcast.”
Ms Harhoff is the corporate director for regeneration, economy and growth at Durham County Council and has previously worked at Sandwell Council, the South Yorkshire Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester.
She will be responsible for leading the organisation’s work on regional transport, housing, economic development, net zero, jobs and skills priorities.
The appointment means that EMCCA is the only mayoral combined authority in the country with two women in its most senior roles.
Here are the salaries of the 11 combined authority chief executives, as of currently available records:
•Cambridgeshire & Peterborough — £203,923
•East Midlands — £185,000
•Greater Manchester — £240,000
•Liverpool — £188,000
•North East — £162,000 (2022)
•South Yorkshire — £271,875 (interim chief rate of pay)
•Tees Valley — £172,000
•West Midlands — £195,000
•West of England — £200,000-£220,000 (post to be recruited to with salary believed to be towards lower end of scale)
•West Yorkshire — £193,000
•York and North Yorkshire – £124,656
