It has been clear for some time that the supernormal stresses and strains of running the Council at a time of huge challenge and change was taking its toll on him. I often wondered why he put up with it for so long. He had after all as a successful city figure nothing more to prove to the world. Many people in his position would have sat on their laurels and headed for the golf course or Costa Geriatrica instead of taking on a role in public service which a lot of the time could be described as ‘thankless’.
Of course many will point to the notorious Chief Executive Officer of the Council as being behind Jeremy’s decision.
There may well be merit in the notion that Andrea Hill is overpaid (although, given the size of the budget and organisation she controls, I have yet to read a logical, evaluative, rather than emotional/resentful/envious argument as to why). I deplore the relentless hounding of her in the press, which appears to get ever more hysterical, distasteful and over the top. She is among the most highly paid public servants for sure, but there are quite a few others who are there or thereabouts in the financial reward stakes, and we hear little or nothing about them. I cannot help thinking that there is a strong dose of sexism underlying the attacks, and I say this as a woman who once also held a relatively high profile, well paid, job, and who knows this sort of thing when she sees it.
What is sad is that all this stuff has overshadowed some of the good work that the County has undertaken under Jeremy’s leadership; the costs saved, the services improved. Whatever you think about the New Strategic Direction, and I do have some reservations, it is a brave approach to a problem that all councils are facing.
I hope that as time goes on the Andrea Hill issue will be seen in proper perspective. Jeremy is, above all, an honest and decent person, and incidentally he has always been very kind to me. I hope that he will now be able to put all this trouble and strife behind him and turn his attention to the pleasures of pastures new.
