Sheffield Council's Chief Executive announces retirement

John Mothersole has today announced that he is due to retire at the end of the year.

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He joined Sheffield City Council in 1998 to take up the role of Executive Director for Development, Environment and Leisure and in 2008 became Chief Executive.

In a retirement message to the city, he described the role as ‘the best job of my life’.

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He said: “I have been in this role for over 11 years and it has been the best job of my life.

“However, nothing goes on forever and when you get to a certain stage in your career, and a certain age, the question of when to stop does become a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’.

“I have therefore decided that now is as good a time as any and so I plan to retire at the end of this calendar year.”

He added: “I know that the success of this council is the product of the efforts of everyone who works for it and with it and of the councillors who are elected to it. I will look back on my time working with the council with great fondness and affection.

“Over the next three months I will be working with my council colleagues to hand over my responsibilities and to ensure there is a smooth transition to whoever replaces me in this role.”

Mr Mothersole started out as a labourer in a foundry in Blackburn in 1977.

At 18, he went to university and after graduating was offered a job at the Manpower Services Commission.

He worked in community arts and arts development roles in Camden and Newcastle before moving to Sheffield.

Mr Mothersole said among the council’s achievements he is most proud of is the city centre’s ‘Heart of the City’ transformation, the raised profile of Sheffield nationally and Children’s Services being rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

Councillor Julie Dore, Leader of Sheffield City Council said: “John has been an outstanding Chief Executive, leading his council colleagues through times of great success for the city and through this difficult time of austerity faced by councils up and down the country.

“I will miss working with him and the support, dedication and commitment that he has given to the council. We all wish John a long, happy and healthy retirement.”

Councillor Penny Baker, Interim Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, said: “Sheffield has been extremely lucky to have had John as our Chief Executive. It has been a pleasure to work with him and he will be difficult to replace. I wish him a happy and long retirement.”