The council is set to start the search for a new chief executive the most senior role within the council’s leadership and management structure in August .
The current holder of the role Sam Plum, who is also the former chief executive of Barrow Borough Council is set to leave the job at the end of the year after announcing her retirement this week.
Jonathan Brook, Leader of Westmorland and Furness council commenting on Sam's decision to leave the council said: "Leading an organisation through a period of significant change is a huge task. To do that whilst continuing to deliver a wide range of day to day services that residents rely on, and doing so whilst in the public eye, is particularly demanding. I can completely understand Sam's decision to step back and to refocus on more personal priorities. Sam has been a real inspiration and a first class officer to work with. Sam has lead from the front, as we have established the new council. One that is becoming known as a successful and dependable organisation. Sam is recognised for her straight forward approach, for her hard work, commitment, enthusiasm and drive.”
“We will now have to begin the process to recruit a new Chief Executive. It won't be straight forward to find the right person to lead us forward on the next stage of our transformation journey. Sam has indicated that she won't be finishing until the end of the year, so we will have time to ensure we select the right person for the job and to say our goodbyes to Sam over the coming months."
The current salary for this position is £188,227 per year, however the report reads: “It is recommended that a review of the current salary together with appropriate benchmarking is undertaken to ensure the current remuneration is reflective of the role and responsibilities.”
The Westmorland and Furness chief executive makes more than Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, who currently makes £172,153, although he only claims £166,786, as is tradition for the head of the UK Government.
The responsibilities for the role include “providing inspirational and strategic leadership”, “delivering the ambitions of the council”, and “ensuring the provision of high quality, efficient and responsive services to the residents of Westmorland and Furness”.
Benjamin Elks, a manager at the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA), said it was “outrageous” that the council executive will be earning more than the country’s leader.
He added: “With 512 senior staff earning more than Keir Starmer in 2023-24, according to the TPA’s Town Hall Rich List 2025, town hall pay is clearly out of control.
“It’s time to rein in these fat cat salaries and start linking pay to performance.”
Some other world leaders the council executive would earn more than are French President Emmanuel Macron (£168,381), Norwegian Prime Minister Joas Gahr Store (£150,887) and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (£151,227).
Recruitment is set to be carried out by the council’s staffing committee with the final recommendation for the new CEO to be put to the full council. The potential applicants will undergo technical interviews, Psychometric testing, undertaken by an external provider. 2-day Assessment Centre including the Staffing Committee Appointment Panel and Stakeholder Panels.
The advert for the CEO vacancy will be published by the council in the week commencing the 18th August 2025 with a closing date 12th September 2025. The council plans to carry out Assessment and a final interview process carried out by the Staffing Committee in the week commencing the 6th October 2025 before making the final recommendation to the full council for approval to appoint the new council boss.
A Westmorland and Furness Council spokesperson said: “We appreciate that salaries for Council CEO’s can look high when compared to national pay averages and other prominent roles…and our senior salaries are carefully scrutinised, subject to national benchmarking and ultimately they are decided upon by democratically elected councillors in an open and transparent way”
“Chief executives of large councils, like Westmorland and Furness, oversee exceptionally large budgets and they are ultimately responsible for providing large, complex services, many of which are to the most vulnerable in our society, such as adult and children’s social care
“These are difficult and complicated roles especially in these extremely challenging times for local government and we need to ensure that in this competitive market we attract the very best leaders to ensure that we deliver quality, essential, services that make a huge difference to people’s lives.”
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