Rutland County Council has appointed an Interim Chief Executive to replace the authority's outgoing head, Helen Briggs, who will retire at the end of July.

The appointment was made at Rutland's Annual Council meeting on Monday 29 June, where Councillors voted to approve Mark Andrews as Interim Chief Executive Officer for a period of 12 months.

Mr Andrews has been part of the Council's Strategic Management Team since 2015 and was appointed as the Council's Strategic Director for People Services in January of last year. He will take up the role of Interim Chief Executive from 1 August 2020.

Speaking after the appointment, Council Leader Oliver Hemsley said: "We are incredibly grateful to Helen Briggs for everything she has done as Chief Executive over the past 14 years. She has made an immeasurable contribution to Rutland County Council and to our county as a whole. She will be greatly missed and we wish her all the best in retirement.

"We are extremely fortunate to be able to appoint Mark Andrews as our Interim Chief Executive. Mark has led the Council's People Directorate extremely well over the past two years. We know that he will bring the same kind of commitment and conscientious leadership to the role of Interim Chief Executive, as well as providing much needed continuity and stability at a time when we are still responding to the serious threat of COVID-19."

Mark Andrews said: "On behalf of everyone at Rutland County Council, I would like to say thank you to Helen for her exceptional leadership as Chief Executive. The decision to postpone her long-awaited retirement in order to guide Rutland through the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to her dedication and sense of duty.

"I am honoured to have worked with her and incredibly proud to be taking on the role of Interim Chief Executive, following her departure. Rutland is a special place and I feel privileged to live and work here. I am looking forward to working closely with Councillors, Officers and our residents in the weeks and months ahead."