The most senior officer in charge of children and adults services at Durham County Council is to take up a new post as Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire County Council.
Rachael Shimmin joined Durham’s Corporate Management Team in 2006 with specific responsibilities for adult care, social inclusion, the interface with health, culture and libraries and community safety.
She helped to lead local government reorganisation in Durham delivering a single unitary council for the county in 2009 and took on her current role as Corporate Director of Children and Adults Services in 2012.
Rachael was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list in 2014 for services to social care.
Durham County Council leader, Cllr Simon Henig, said: “Rachael is an extremely experienced and accomplished senior officer with a strong and well demonstrated background in local government.
“Whilst we will be sorry to see her go the role of Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire County Council is clearly an opportunity not to be missed and we wish her the very best in her future career.”
The Chief Executive of Durham County Council, Terry Collins, said: “I have worked alongside Rachael for seven years and I am continually impressed by her commitment, knowledge and focus during what has been a time of huge transformation in local government.
“Rachael played a key part in the launch of this council as a unitary and subsequently in delivering high quality services alongside crucial financial savings.
“I would like to thank Rachael for her fantastic commitment and to say, on a personal note, I will miss her valued input at senior management level.”
Rachael’s appointment is subject to formal ratification by Buckinghamshire County Council’s full council on April 28.
She’ll take up her new appointment later this year.