Hackney Mayor acknowledges ‘uncertainty’ as he unveils council’s third chief executive this year

Dawn Carter-McDonald. Photograph: Hackney Council

Hackney’s mayor has announced who will be leading the Town Hall when the acting chief executive leaves at the end of July.

Ian Williams had stepped in to cover for Mark Carroll, who is on extended leave to deal with family matters, but is soon set to depart for a new role in Liverpool.

Now it has been revealed that Dawn Carter-McDonald, the council’s director of finance and governance, will become acting chief executive.

Mayor Philip Glanville said: “I recognise the uncertainty whilst the chief executive manages some of those family issues since April. That process has not been resolved.”

He told a scrutiny committee last week: “I was really clear legally that we need to have strong interim arrangements. That’s what we have in place.”

He said: “It’s business as usual.”

Carter-McDonald’s appointment has to be endorsed by full council later this month.

By law, councils have to arrange cover if their chief executive is on leave.

The chief executive is also the principal adviser to the elected cabinet on stretegic policy.

Alongside their role in the day-to-day running of a council, London’s chief executives take on the Gold pan-London role in helping co-ordinate support during emergencies such as the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Town Hall has also announced that director of financial management Jackie Moylan will step up as acting Section 151 officer.

The role is better known as chief financial officer – a position required by law that oversees the proper management of a council’s financial affairs.