Jo Walker will leave her role on May 19. Picture: North Somerset Council

North Somerset Council chief to stand down in May

Paul JonesFebruary 17, 20250 Comment0

THE chief executive of North Somerset Council – Jo Walker – will step down in May.

Ms Walker, who has been chief executive at NSC for more than six years, is resigning to take over at Gloucestershire County Council and will leave Somerset on May 19.

It is a return north of Bristol for Ms Walker, who previously held roles as Director of Finance and Corporate Services and Director of Highways, Transport and Waste in Gloucestershire before moving to NSC.

“This has not been a decision I’ve made lightly,” she said. “It’s been a privilege to serve the people of North Somerset and drive forward key initiatives which have benefitted the region’s economy, health and communities, with much more on the horizon.

“However, the opportunity arose for me to return to Gloucestershire and I’m looking forward to a new challenge. I’ll now work with my senior leadership team to ensure there is a smooth transition.”

A recruitment process for her successor is now set to get underway, with the role set to boast a salary of more than £150,000. In 2022/23, Ms Walker was employed with a salary of some £164,682, plus a pension of £39,194 – a total package of £203,876.

Cllr Mike Bell, leader of NSC, said: “Jo Walker has been instrumental to North Somerset Council in her time here and she will be sadly missed.

“Jo’s approach to leadership has always been inclusive and forward-thinking, prioritising transparency and open communication.

“Her time here at North Somerset Council is marked by a dedication to excellence and innovation and will make a lasting impact on the region’s future. We wish her all the best as she returns to Gloucestershire County Council as their new chief executive.”

The council highlighted her role in overseeing services through the Covid crisis, as well as making ‘significant strides in strategic partnerships that deliver change on the ground for communities, including Metrowest rail, Banwell Bypass and levelling up funding for the Tropicana and Birnbeck Pier’.

She also sits on the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board and chairs the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Health System Transformation Board.