COUNCIL bosses are searching for a new chief executive after the current incumbent decided he didn’t want the role on a permanent basis.

Kim Ryley – who arrived at Cheshire East Council in August 2012 – has told the council he will not be applying for the chief executive position on a permanent basis for personal reasons.

He will remain in his interim post until the person appointed takes up their position in several months’ time, and applicants for the post will be interviewed this month.

The council told the Guardian this will ‘ensure a smooth handover of work in progress and avoid disruption to the council’s operations’.

The decision by Mr Ryley comes as the council revealed it had completed the first stage of its management restructure, and will now make appointments to the next group of 30 management posts.

The council said managers make up less than 10 per cent of the council’s workforce, but the review will cut those overhead costs by 25 per cent overall, in order to protect funding for essential frontline jobs and services.

Clr Michael Jones, leader of the council, said: “We are an aspirational council and we want to be the best.

“Building a strong management team to support my ambitions and those of my cabinet, to make Cheshire East an even better place to live and work, is essential.

“We must move on quickly, as there is much to be done. We have a huge planned programme of service change and improvement agreed as part of our new three-year plan. But we must now start putting this in place quickly, so that local people and businesses can see the benefits of having an effective council in these difficult times.

“I would have welcomed an application from Kim Ryley to stay on as our chief executive. I have no doubt he would have been an outstanding candidate. He has brought a depth of experience to his interim role with us and has set a high bar for our next chief executive. We are confident that we will be able to make a strong appointment later this month.”

Interim chief executive Kim Ryley said: “This process of new appointments has helped us identify our most talented staff, who will perform well in their new roles and have potential for further progression and promotion in future. This is the first example of our new ‘Talent Management’ approach, which will be extended over time to all council staff.”