Leader rejects criticism of £215k CEO recruitment

The Reform UK leader of a council said he had "never been more pleased" with the appointment of chief executive whose annual salary is £215,000.

Norfolk County Council selected Dennis Bacon, a Norwich hotel owner and the former chairman of the Norfolk Independent Care Association, with 45 councillors supporting the decision and 18 voting against the hire.

Opposition parties at the authority have criticised the selection process, which involved one hour-long interview.

David Bick, the authority's leader, said candidates had been heavily vetted by council staff before the interview stage.

The new CEO, who will take up the role on 7 September, will oversee the council's £2.3bn annual budget and 8,000 staff.

Bacon founded the care firm Apple Homecare and owns a bed and breakfast in Norwich and last year was crowned winner on an episode of Channel 4's Four in a Bed.

Alongside his business ventures, Bacon spent 19 years as chairman of the Norfolk Independent Care Association, which supports more than 600 organisations and 11,000 staff in the social care industry.

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Bacon's appointment was criticised by the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Labour Party councillors last month, who said the recruitment process had been rushed.

Liberal Democrat Dan Roper said that at Broadland District Council - where he is also a councillor - "we put our waste operatives through a longer process in terms of interview than you have for your chief executive".

"That's unbelievable really," he added.

Bacon stood down as a director of care provider Apple Homecare on 30 June – a few days after Tom McCabe, the council's previous CEO, resigned.

Bick said council staff had scrutinised the final four candidates before the interview stage.

"They'd already done a thorough job on attracting candidates, then vetting them and examining their CVs and statements. There was a heck of a lot of work behind that," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"I've never been more pleased with an appointment in my whole professional career," he added.

"He's a very successful businessman and very much a people person."

Bick said he had not met Bacon – who is understood to have never been a member of a political party – before the interview.

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