Dennis Bacon appointed Norfolk County Council chief executive

Concerns about a perceived lack of experience and claims of a rushed process to get him in place led to 18 county councillors opposing the appointment of Dennis Bacon as chief executive at Reform-led County Hall.

But with 45 councillors backing the decision, Mr Bacon - a former winner of the TV show Four in a Bed - will next month take the helm at the authority, which has a budget of £2.3bn.

David Bick, leader of Norfolk County Council (Image: Reform UK)

David Bick, Reform leader at County Hall, said Mr Bacon, who spent 19 years as chairman of the Norfolk Independent Care Association, was the "best person" for the job after a process which attracted 49 applicants.

But the Liberal Democrat and Green groups opposed his appointment, while the council's sole Labour councillor questioned Mr Bacon's record - and timing of his resignation - as director of care company Apple Homecare.

Liberal Democrat group leader Brian Watkins (Image: Liberal Democrats)

Brian Watkins, leader of the Lib Dem group, said: "The process has been carried out with undue haste, with barely any time for proper scrutiny.

"It has been widely reported that Mr Bacon has no background in local government. Surely that should have been a key requirement in this appointment.

"I am concerned that senor officers on this council might seriously question whether the prospective chief executive is able to fully grasp the scale and complexities of the issues, like local government reorganisation, which will dominate the political landscape in the next few years."

He said Reform's handling of the process had been "unacceptable" and "inexcusable".

Maxine Webb (Image: Maxine Webb)

Green leader Maxine Webb said her group had similar concerns that the recruitment process was not robust or adequate enough for such a senior appointment.

She said there had been no psychometric testing and only a one-hour interview of candidates by the member appointment panel, the make-up of which she said was not politically balanced.

She said the process had been "highly unusual", with the role only advertised on the county council's website and LinkedIn and for a relatively brief period of time.

Tom McCabe (Image: Supplied)

The vacancy of chief executive came about after the sudden resignation of Tom McCabe in June, just over a month after Reform took control of the organisation.

Ben Weston (Image: Ben Weston)

Labour councillor Ben Weston said Mr Bacon had, until June 30 - a few days after Mr McCabe quit - been a director of care company Apple Homecare, which provides services to the council.

Mr Weston said the Care Quality Commission's last inspection rated Mr Bacon's company as requiring improvement, including for its leadership.

Mr Weston questioned whether that made Mr Bacon suitable for managing an 8,000-strong workforce.

Mr Bick said Mr Weston's comments were "unworthy" and it was a "shame" he had made them in a public place.

Conservative Daniel Elmer said he could see that there could be "quite refreshing" merit in appointing someone from the private sector to the role, but questioned why the process could not have been conducted over a longer time period.

Norfolk County Council's County Hall headquarters (Image: Mike Page)

Lib Dem Dan Roper said previous chief executive appointments had not attracted such controversy and said a one-hour interview for a chief executive was "unbelievable".

He said he would expect that for "the lowest grade of manager" at County Hall, not the top officer, and that the process was "flawed".

But officers confirmed the process had been "legal and proper" and Jon Wedon, Great Yarmouth First leader said he welcomed Mr Bacon's appointment.

Mr Bick added: "There was a suggestion that the candidate did not have any background in local government. That is not true.

"He had considerable experience in dealing both with this council and with the NHS.

"I am absolutely convinced that we have got the best person.

"But keep in mind that three quarters of the shortlist were people from the public sector."

Mr Bacon is a past recipient of an Outstanding Leadership in Public Services Award from Norfolk County Council.

The 63-year-old, who has served as a member of the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership - a network of local NHS organisations and councils - is due to begin his new job on September 7.

Holly and Dennis Bacon holding their winning plaque after their B&B appeared on Four in a Bed (Image: 38 St Giles)

Last year, he experienced television fame, when the 38 St Giles Boutique Bed and Breakfast he runs in Norwich featured on the popular reality show Four in a Bed.

The show follows a group of B&B owners as they tour one another's establishments and compete to be voted the best host, with Mr Bacon's winning.