Interim finance director appointed at County Hall, as Norfolk County Council faces challenge of £189m savings

Peter Timmins, a highly experienced finance director, will be interim head of finance when Paul Brittain, the current head of finance, leaves after a 37 year career in local government.

Mr Timmins will come in at a time when the council is wrestling with the need to make £189m of cuts over the next three years.

And his appointment on a temporary basis means three of the top jobs at County Hall do not have permanent incumbents. The council already has an acting managing director in Anne Gibson and an interim director of children's services in Sheila Lock.

Mike Jackson, the council's director of environment, transport and development, is also soon to leave for a chief executive post in Somerset.

A review of the management structure at County Hall has been conducted as part of the drive to make the £189m savings and the Labour/Liberal Democrat administration has been reluctant to recruit to permanent posts ahead of the conclusions of that review.

On the appointment of Mr Timmins, Ms Gibson said: 'I am very pleased we have been able to appoint Peter Timmins. He joins Norfolk County Council in extremely challenging times, and his depth of experience will be invaluable.'

George Nobbs, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: 'Having met Peter, I am firmly convinced that he is the best person that we could have chosen to see us through the challenges that lie ahead - not least the massive cut in government funding.

'In Peter Timmins we have someone who has a strong track record of ensuring sound financial management in local authorities, which is very much in line with Norfolk's ethos that firm financial control must underpin the decisions we take on spending public money.'

Mr Timmins has been chief finance officer at seven councils, the last two being Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council. One of his daughters went to the University of East Anglia.