The Fermanagh District council chambers
THE new chief executive of the Omagh and Fermanagh ‘super council’ will take up the role in January, it has emerged.
An open application process for the £120,000 plus position will begin in October.
It remains unclear whether the present incumbents of the chief executive roles in Omagh and Fermanagh will compete for the post. Omagh District Council Chief Executive Danny McSorley is already experienced at managing two district areas after he was drafted into the chief executive role in Strabane in September 2011.
He is one of only four people across the north’s 26 councils who are paid an annual salary of more than £100,000.
Other leading contenders are believed to include Killyclogher native Brendan Hegarty left, who is the current chief executive of Fermanagh District Council.
During a meeting of the new Statutory Transition Committee (STC) in Omagh last week, the massive task of merging the two local government institutions was highlighted.
It emerged that between now and April 2015, the cost of the transition has been estimated at £430,000, which will be split evenly between both Omagh and Fermanagh councils.
The costs include £2,700 in annual payments to STC committee members, along with £500 a month for travel and subsistence. Staffing and appointments to manage the merger is set to cost £132,338.
However one of the biggest expenses involves the cost of holding next year’s election to the new ‘shadow council’.
It’s anticipated the council elections will coincide with the elections for the European Parliament, due to take place between May 22-25 2014.
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