THE managing director of Wychavon District Council is set to be appointed next week to the newly-created joint chief executive post for Wychavon and Malvern Hills.

At a special MHDC meeting on Thursday, October 16, councillors will be asked to approve the appointment of Jack Hegarty to the post.

The scheme was approved in June by both councils, and next Thursday's meeting is being held to approve details of the deal, as recommended by the Joint Staff Advisory Committee, made up of representatives of both councils.

In August the committee decided that the holder of the new post would be chosen from the current holders of the top posts at each council, Mr Hegarty and MHDC chief executive Chris Bocock.

Mr Hegarty is set to take up the newly-created post, which carries a salary of £118,000 to £127,5000, no later that December 1.

Last month, the two councils were given £400,000 from the government's Transformation Challenge Award scheme to help fund the move.

Mr Bocock is set to accept voluntary redundancy and early retirement, although the details of the redundant terms are exempt information that will not be discussed during the meeting's public session.

Savings from the move to a shared chief executive post are said to be around £60,000 per year for each council, totalling £300,000 for each council over a five-year period.