CHIEF executive Duncan Sharkey is set to leave the Royal Borough to take up a new top job in Somerset later this year.

Mr Sharkey, who has been the council’s CEO since 2019, has been confirmed as Somerset County Council’s chief executive following a ‘high-profile national search’.

He will take the reins from Somerset’s chief executive Pat Flaherty, who was in the role since 2014, in the autumn and will later become chief executive of the new unitary Somerset Council from April next year.

Councillors confirmed Mr Sharkey’s appointment at a full Somerset County Council meeting.

Recruitment for a new chief executive at the Royal Borough will begin "in due course," the council said.

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Mr Sharkey said: "I am very sad to leave Windsor and Maidenhead. I have had the pleasure of working with so many great people and have been given the opportunity to deliver major change as well as some projects that have changed the way we deliver services to our residents.

“The new role is an exciting challenge as this is to help build a new council that will continue, develop and enhance the work of the five existing councils. There has been a huge amount of work taking place already to ensure that services are ready for vesting day, and I forward to working with new colleagues and partners from the autumn.

“I know I am leaving the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead in a much stronger place, as was confirmed by the recent Peer Review, and I wish my colleagues, the council and its partners every success for the future.”

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During Mr Sharkey’s time at the Royal Borough, he helped the council stabilise its finances during a time when it was dangerously close to declaring bankruptcy.

He also built a new leadership at the council and secured a ‘good’ rating for children’s services in the borough, while adult care services were all rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding by the care quality commission.

Council leader Andrew Johnson said: “Duncan has been a fantastic leader for our staff and he has worked extremely hard to ensure that the council was transformed with a more trusting, open and transparent culture.

“We will be sad to see Duncan leave but I know that this is a challenge that he will relish and be extremely successful in. I wish him all the best for the future.”