Howe wins unanimous backing for post of new Chief Executive of Adur & Worthing Councils

Dr Catherine Howe has been recommended for the post of Chief Executive of Adur & Worthing Councils after a rigorous recruitment process.

The current interim Chief Executive was the unanimous choice of the Joint Senior Staff Committee, consisting of ruling and opposition councillors including the Leaders of both Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council.

The committee’s recommendation will now go before the Full Council meetings of both district and borough in the next two weeks for approval.

Dr Howe joined the Councils in Spring last year as Director for Communities. In the summer she became Interim Chief Executive after the retirement of Alex Bailey who had led the Councils’ paid service for eight years.

Dr Howe has considerable experience in social innovation and digital transformation and during her short time in Communities changed the department’s focus to develop data-led, targeted approaches to the delivery of service to residents.

Previously she held senior management roles with Cancer Research UK, Capita, Public-i and the London Business School.

She has built a reputation for leadership across technological, social and innovation work and a strong interest in democracy and place.

Dr Howe will lead a shared Adur & Worthing Councils service of more than 750 staff working under the democratically separate entities of district and borough.

Councils are responsible for, among others, housing, health and wellbeing, waste services, major economic projects, environmental health, digital services and open spaces.