Cornwall Council staff urged to ‘avoid speculation’ during ‘unsettling time’

The new interim boss at Cornwall Council has urged staff to avoid speculating about the absence of chief executive Kate Kennally.

Andy Keeling has also told council employees they need to do their bit to save “every single penny” as the authority finds itself with an in-year budget deficit of £11 million.

Mr Keeling – a former council boss in Leicester and the Falklands – took on the new interim deputy chief executive role on Monday, September 14, after Ms Kennally took a sudden “leave of absence”, which has not been explained by Cornwall Council.

In a letter to staff, Mr Keeling said: “I know how important continuity of leadership is and how unsettling it can be when that is disrupted. Whilst I know it as an unsettling time, I want to do everything I can to help Cornwall Council respond to our challenges and make the very best of our opportunities.

“I will take things week by week and I ask that we all avoid speculation about Kate and her circumstances.”

Mr Keeling pointed out that the council has reported in this week’s cabinet meeting agenda an in-year budget deficit of £11 million.

“We urgently need to bring our spending under control, not least because of the significant budget gap we have for next year. We have no head-room to end this year in deficit, so we need to act now.”

He said, as a result, the council is introducing some immediate spending controls in relation to pay and recruitment, conferences and seminars, spend on advertising and out of Cornwall travel. Mr Keeling has also told staff that the council is working with service directors (head of departments) to develop savings across every service.

“To help us do this, spending control panels will be set up in every directorate,” he wrote. “In addition, a pay cost control panel will be set up corporately so that we have more grip on changes to grades, acting up arrangements and overtime, as well as recruitment.”

Mr Keeling added: “The bottom line is that you can all help. Every single penny that we save will improve our situation. So I want each of you to consider carefully how your day-to-day decisions support careful and responsible use of resources.”

He told staff that control panels will control expenditure over £1,000 and over. “But expenditure under £1,000 is just as important if every employee can identify a saving,” added the interim boss.

Mr Keeling ended his first missive by thanking everyone for giving him a “fantastic Cornish welcome”, adding: ” My first impression is of a leadership group full of integrity, energy and dedication to the residents of Cornwall.”