WILTSHIRE Council is about to begin the hunt for a new chief executive, at a starting salary of about £180,000.

And up to £50,000 has been set aside for spending on the recruitment campaign.

Currently Keith Robinson, who was chief executive of the old Wiltshire County Council, is doing the job.

But the rules for new unitary authorities require that the top post is made the subject of open competition within a year.

According to a council spokesman, Mr Robinson will have to be made redundant, although he would be able to apply for the new job.

It is hoped to fill the vacancy by March 1 next year.

A draft report to Wiltshire’s Cabinet said five executive search organisations had already been consulted, and the cost of filling the post had been factored into the ‘One Council’ transition budget.

Mr Robinson’s salary is in the £160-165,000 bracket.

The draft report to the cabinet said it would be possible to continue with current salary policy by offering the new postholder the median salary for chief executives of large unitary authorities. This would be in the £171-189,000 range, with the median being £180,000. But this would be a “conservative approach in comparison with other unitary authorities”.

And councillors might want to adopt a more competitive pay policy “that would better support the council’s ambition to be one of the top performing councils in the country”, which would mean a salary range of £180-198,000. That approach might then be extended to other senior officials’ salaries in future.

The cabinet, which meets on Tuesday (June 23), is expected to authorise a company to manage the recruitment campaign.