Council appoints former director of governance and monitoring officer as permanent chief executive

The council selected Paul Burkinshaw, who was previously the monitoring officer (MO) at Basildon Borough Council, during a full council meeting last week (7 July).

Burkinshaw has a background in democratic services and spent six years in the MO position at Basildon from 2018 to 2024 before becoming deputy chief executive at both Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District Council.

In a statement announcing the hire, West Lindsey said the new chief executive is recognised for his "strong political acumen" and his ability to work collaboratively and effectively with elected members and partners.

It also cited leadership skills, transformation management capabilities, and relationship-building and communication skills as reasons for his appointment.

Commenting on the move, Burkinshaw said: "I'm looking forward to working with members, staff, partners and the wider community to build on that success and lead the organisation into its next chapter. It's an absolute privilege to take on this role, and I'm excited about the opportunities ahead."

Bill Cullen, interim head of paid service West Lindsey, meanwhile said: "Paul is extremely personable and brings an exceptional track record in local government and a passion for delivering high-quality services to communities.

"Paul joins at a time of significant challenge for local government. His experience, leadership and understanding of the sector will therefore be invaluable as we continue to build a resilient, forward-looking organisation and develop our relationships with partners.

"We very much look forward to Paul joining the team at West Lindsey and benefiting from the expertise he brings."

Adam Carey