The appointment of a new chief executive has been agreed following the retirement of its predecessor, Bracknell Forest Borough Council has announced.  

Councillors confirmed at the full council meeting last night that Susan Halliwell will take up the role from the autumn, after beating three other candidates to the role in a two-day interview process. 

Ms Halliwell has 18 years’ experience in the public sector, joining Bracknell Forest from West Berkshire Council where she is executive director of Place – a department responsible for providing day-to-day services including local highways, recycling, waste and planning. 

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Since 2019, she has also been the second vice president and co-chair for the south-east network of Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport, which represents directors of place, as well as a non-executive director of Low Carbon Hub – a social enterprise tackling climate change. 

Prior to those, Ms Halliwell worked at Oxfordshire County Council for eleven years where she held a number of positions including the environment and climate change manager, strategic infrastructure and planning resources manager, and director for planning and place. 

The council leader, Councillor Paul Bettison, said: “We are delighted that Susan will be joining us later this year.  

“We carried out a thorough recruitment process earlier this summer to ensure we secured the best possible candidate for the role for our residents, staff and businesses.” 

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Ms Halliwell will be installed following the retirement of the current chief executive, Timothy Wheadon, who has held the position for the past 19 years. 

“Naturally, we will be sad to see Timothy Wheadon leave the organisation, as his leadership and knowledge have been instrumental in helping successfully shape and drive the council for many years. 

“However, we are looking forward to Susan joining us and building on that success and we wish Tim all the very best for his retirement,” Cllr Bettison added. 

The role of chief executive at the council comes with a hefty annual salary, outlined as £188,000 in 2021, which is £26,599 more than Prime Minister Boris’s Johnson’s £161,401 yearly earnings. 

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The figure dwarfs the total average annual earnings of £33,000 which Bracknell residents receive. 

Eight other council employees were awarded salaries in excess of £100,000, including the executive director for delivery (£140,000), the executive director for resources (£120,000), the executive director for place, planning and regeneration (£113,000) and the assistant director of education and learning (£114,000), according to the latest figures from the TaxPayers’ Alliance. 

Ms Halliwell, who is expected to join in October, said she is “delighted” to be taking up the role and offered her “best wishes” to the departing Mr Wheadon.