Arun District Council's new chief executive is revealed.

At a special council meeting on Thursday, June 16 councillors debated and voted on a recommendation to appoint Nigel Lynn as the next chief executive.

The recommendation was made to members by the Chief Executive Recruitment and Selection Panel, specially convened to deal with the recruitment process.

Mr Lynn is currently deputy chief executive at Spelthorne Borough Council in Surrey, responsible for planning and housing strategy, streetscene, corporate governance, asset management, customer services and communications.

Before his appointment as deputy chief executive in 2007, Mr Lynn was strategic director for Spelthorne.

Key achievements during his time at the local authority, which serves a population of about 100,000, include the regeneration and pedestrianisation of Staines town centre. The result netted the council the national award for Best Town Centre from the British Council of Shopping Centres.

Mr Lynn has also recently led the regeneration of a deprived ward through the demolition of 150 ‘tin pre-fab’ houses and the rebuilding of 300 high quality houses for the community, with new parks, playing fields, a community centre, extra care housing for the elderly and a health centre.

His career path in the public sector also includes working for Bridgend County Council, Maldon District Council, Lea Valley Regional Park Authority, the Inner London Education Authority, and the London Borough’s of Tower Hamlets Council and Barking and Dagenham.

Mr Lynn has also worked in the private sector.

Arun’s current chief executive Ian Sumnall retires this autumn after 24 years with Arun – 20 of them as CEO.