Senior Officer Shake-Up: Managing Director Role to be Scrapped as Council Restructures Leadership...

Denise McGuckin Managing Director of Hartlepool Borough Council

Several roles to be scrapped & new positions created after the resignation of a number of senior council officials marking the third senior office restructure in a decade.

14th August 2025

A local council which is still battling public no-confidence issues is set to undergo a major senior management shake-up which will see the Managing Directors role scrapped and replaced with the former title of Chief Executive.

The move by Hartlepool Borough Council is reportedly part of a wider reorganisation of the council’s top leadership team following several senior officer departures in recent months.

A number of existing are said to be deleted, with new positions created in a bid to strengthen capacity and align services with what the local council claims is its long-term priorities. The proposed changes will go before the full council in August for approval.

According to council documents, the reorganisation is aimed at ensuring Hartlepool Borough Council has “the appropriate managerial capacity and resilience” to deliver the wide range of services expected from a unitary authority — a challenge compounded by the town’s socio-economic difficulties and tight financial constraints.

While acknowledging the pressures facing local government, the council highlights what it sees as significant improvements in recent years, with all services now rated as “good” or “outstanding” and major regeneration projects underway. The administration says it remains ambitious about revitalising Hartlepool, with plans focused on shifting public perceptions, restoring pride, and delivering the infrastructure communities need to thrive.

One of the biggest changes will see housing services — moved into a new “Housing & Growth” division. This will be accompanied by a full review of housing services across the borough, expected to conclude within five months. The review will look at how to address rising homelessness, ageing and unsuitable housing stock, and the ongoing need for new council homes.

Two entirely new directorates are also proposed those being:

• Neighbourhoods & Regulatory Services

• Housing, Growth & Communities

  
  

Other changes include the reported deletion of the current Directors of Development, Neighbourhoods & Regulatory Services, the transfer of some services into different departments, and the redesignation of certain Assistant Director roles. Procurement and Social Value functions will move to the Assistant Director for Finance, who will also oversee Revenues & Benefits. Strategic Data & Intelligence will transfer to the Assistant Director for Digital, Data and Technology, aligning it with the council’s transformation agenda.

The shake-up comes against the backdrop of long-standing recruitment difficulties in a local council which in 2023 was declared an authority with no public confidence. The council says it needs to ensure Hartlepool is competitive in attracting and retaining skilled staff, which could involve changes to pay scales to match other Tees Valley authorities.

Vacancies at senior management level have so far been left unfilled unless legally required, saving the council around £20,000 per month. The new structure is estimated to cost between £125,000 and £150,000 annually once fully implemented, but the council expects to achieve over £100,000 worth of savings this year due to the ongoing vacancy freeze.

If councillors approve the proposals in August, the appointments process for the new directors will begin immediately.