ABERDEEN City Council has named the woman who will enter the “lion’s den” and take on one of the toughest jobs in Scottish local government.
It has promoted from within to make Angela Scott its new chief executive – just weeks after her predecessor quit amid claims she was driven out by the “dysfunctional” Labour-led administration.
The 42-year-old will step up from her role as the council’s director of corporate governance just six months after joining the local authority.
Last night, she was hailed as a “stand-out” candidate for the £145,000 post and given pledges that councillors across the political spectrum would work with her for the good of the city.
Outgoing chief executive Valerie Watts announced she was resigning in March.
She will take up a new public sector job in Northern Ireland and said the decision to leave Aberdeen had been “tremendously difficult”.
But opposition councillors and even First Minister Alex Salmond blamed the behaviour of the local authority’s Labour-led leadership for her departure.
The city council has gone through a turbulent period since Labour came to power, including the fallout from the rejection of tycoon Sir Ian Wood’s £50million offer to redevelop Union Terrace Gardens. There have been ongoing spats with the Scottish Government, a proposed ban on SNP ministers visiting council property, and a bitter political row over the council’s decision to send out anti-independence letters with council tax bills. But Labour group secretary Willie Young said last night that Nationalist claims that the political situation in the council would scare away candidates for the chief executive’s role had been shown to be false.
He revealed the local authority received about a dozen applications from council bosses in England, “top-notch” candidates in Scotland and from former senior council officials.
“We got some extremely good applicants and went through an extremely rigorous process and we interviewed some extremely good people,” he said. “We were delighted that the SNP were proved wrong and we got excellent candidates who came forward.”
SNP group leader Callum McCaig congratulated Mrs Scott. “It is clearly a very challenging role she has gone forward for and been successful at getting,” he said. “Everyone in Aberdeen hopes she does well in that position and I am no different.
“Myself and members of my group will certainly be willing to work with her for the good of the city.”
Mrs Scott joined Aberdeen City Council in October and was a non-executive director of NHS Tayside from 2008 to 2013.
Council leader Barney Crockett said he was “absolutely delighted” by the appointment.
During the “rigorous” nationwide recruitment campaign it was Mrs Scott who stood out, he said.
“Mrs Scott joined the city council last year to head the corporate governance directorate,” Mr Crockett said. “She has shone in that role, and we decided that she was perfectly suited to use her financial expertise, her drive and her leadership to help this administration to deliver on our promises to the city.
“Mrs Scott has huge experience in managing big budgets and complex organisations and her appointment will stand us in good stead as we continue the task of renewing this city and setting it on a firm course for the decades ahead.”
Mrs Scott, a mother-of-two, said she was proud to accept the job and was looking forward to working with councillors, staff and partners to deliver Aberdeen’s priorities.
“Under the current chief executive Valerie Watts Aberdeen has gone from strength to strength and has maintained its position as one of the most economically successful cities in Europe,” she said.
“I wish to build upon her achievements and work with elected members, our citizens, our businesses and our partner organisations to help this city thrive and grow still further.”
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