A NEW chief executive has arrived to lead a streamlined council management team.

Iain Phillips has moved from York to Wear Valley, where the district council followed a sweeping review of its services by merging eight departments into four.

Liverpool-born Mr Phillips has spent 30 years in local government, including the last 19 at York. He was assistant chief executive in the unitary City of York Council and director of administration for its predecessor.

He said: "Wear Valley needs a vision about where it is going to be in the future. I think it is getting there. My ambition is that the members here, and the staff, after two or three years will think of Wear Valley as becoming one of the best district councils of its kind."

Gary Ridley moves from his post as chief assistant director of finance to become director of central resources. Director of housing is Michael Laing, who previously worked at Gateshead Metropolitan and Derwentside District councils.

Planning director Bob Hope becomes director of regeneration and Paul Dobson, previously director of leisure and marketing, is director of community services.