New Bromley Council chief executive Ade Adetosoye expected to oversee huge spending cuts

NIGERIAN-born Ade Adetosoye has assumed office as the chief executive of Bromley Council in Kent with a mandate to guide the local authority through a period of financial uncertainty and transformation.

Having joined the council as deputy chief executive in December 2016, Mr Adetosoye had been acting up as interim chief executive from December 2018 following the retirement of his predecessor Doug Patterson. Following his confirmation as the new boss of the council, Mr Adetosoye assumes office at a time the council plans a leadership shake-up to save cash towards an accumulative budget gap in 2023.

While serving as deputy chief executive, Mr Adetosoye oversaw major improvements to the council's children's services following a disappointing Ofsted inspection in 2016. He will now oversee a Transforming Bromley strategy, which is partly to combat a £30m budget gap that takes the council up to 2023.

Bromley Council leader Colin Smith said: "I am extremely pleased for Mr Adetosoye personally and absolutely delighted for Bromley residents more widely, that he has been confirmed to post as the borough's chief executive and welcome the thought of continuing our work together on this programme. Mr Adetosoye's track record in local government has earned him an outstanding reputation and with good cause.

"He has already demonstrated the strength of his leadership skills by turning around Bromley's children's service team and establishing strong working relationships both within the Council and externally. Following a glowing recent appraisal and an outstanding appearance in front of a panel of elected councillors reviewing his performance to date and answering questions concerning his ambitions for the future, Mr Adetosoye's confirmation to post was a very simple decision to make."

A further shake-up at the council, set to be signed off, will see jobs cut from the leadership structure, which bosses say will save £1.2m. Three senior leadership posts in the new structure remain unfilled, including those of director of children's services, director of adult services and assistant director of children's services.