Somerset Council’s chief financial officer is to leave the organisation this summer as part of a wider overhaul of the authority’s management structure.
The council’s Section 151 officer, Jason Vaughan, is the person responsible for coordinating the council’s budget and ensuring that its month-to-month spending is under control.
Mr Vaughan’s departure from the council was first announced in late-May as part of a wider package of redundancy, with nearly 50 senior officers choosing to leave as part of the ongoing transformation programme.
An interim replacement will be in place from September 1st and will remain in the post until a new permanent replacement can be found.
At the council’s latest full council meeting, deputy leader Liz Leyshon said: “I wish to take this opportunity to thank Jason for his constant and really hard work since his appointment in 2019.”
“He tells me he has completed 38 years’ work in local government and has presented 33 budgets in those years across a range of local authorities.”
“He has brought together five very different budgets and teams from very different councils, and he’s continued to engage (and even smile at times!) throughout the declaration of a financial emergency and the additional work that has involved.”
“I will miss Jason’s unfailing ability to engage at all levels, from explaining complex situations in laypersons’ terms to his rigour in driving savings in this first year of the new council. He leaves us in a position whereby we can now work on the next stage of forming a viable new council.”
Cllr Mandy Chilcott, deputy leader of the Conservative opposition group, said: “Thank you for your honesty, thank you for patience – I know I’ve tried it on numerous occasions – and thank you for leading your team so well. I wish you every success as you move forward – you will be missed.”
Council Chair Mike Best adds: “Thank you very much for what you’ve done for this authority, and I wish you all the best for whatever you decide to do in the future.”
Mr Vaughan will officially leave the council at the end of August, being replaced by Maria G. Christofi, who currently serves as chief financial officer for Redbridge Council in Greater London, according to the local democracy reporting service.
Ms Christofi will hold the post in an interim capacity while the council undertake recruitment for a permanent replacement, which could take several months to complete in light of the new management structure being put in place.
