SANDRA Stewart has been hailed as the person to push through Tameside Council’s ambitions after being confirmed as its new permanent chief executive.
The London-born officer acted on an interim basis after Steven Pleasant stepped down amid a row over a tweet he posted online.
Now she has been approved to take on the £184,767 a year role full-time by the borough’s councillors.
And leader Cllr Ged Cooney believes Ms Stewart can help him achieve what he wants – biggest of which is making town centres better.
He said: “I look forward to ongoing work with Sandra, carrying out the council’s programme and fulfilling our ambitions for Tameside in the years ahead.
“We have much to do in terms of regenerating our town centres, creating a more prosperous borough, tackling deprivation and health inequalities, and continuing the improvement we have seen in education and skills over recent years.
“I know Sandra shares my vision for a better Tameside and that I can fully count on her to help me realise it.”
Mr Pleasant resigned in June after a row over a comment on Twitter expressing surprise that a Conservative voter could show “compassion and empathy.”
Now Ms Stewart will also continue as director of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and take over as electoral registration officer and returning officer for local, parliamentary and other elections and referendums.
She is also responsible for the integration of health and care in Tameside as a place-based lead for health and care integration.
As such she heads integrated care as part of national changes to the way the NHS and local authorities support people’s health and social care.
After working for Tameside Council for 28 years – assuming the role of borough solicitor and deputy chief executive, as well as director of governance and pension fund director on the way – Ms Stewart, confirmed in the role at a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 6, is determined to bring improvements.
She said: “I am proud to have worked for Tameside for more than 25 years and feel honoured to have been appointed to the role on a permanent basis.
“I am passionate about Tameside and will continue to work with the elected council leadership, the council senior leadership team and partners to deliver the very best we can for the borough and our residents.
“I am committed to ensuring that what we do every day will make it a better place for everyone to live, learn and work.”
That’s an exorbitant amount of Salary when Tameside is in such a bad financial situation. It’s these exorbitant Salaries that are making residents lose a lot of much needed Council services.
It’s much the same in Oldham, overpaid and out of touch.
1 was the job advertised? 2 How-is such a post justified at such a high salary? This is in consideration to those on picket lines are on at present??? RM. Mossley
At least that’s one less in the trough, how many more like her