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Lancashire CC has denied rumours that no-one is interested in its chief executive post.

The search for a replacement for outgoing chief executive, Chris Trinick, started in September, when consultant Saxton Bampfylde Hever advertised the £190,000 post. Council leader, Hazel Harding, denied rumours that there had been little interest in the job, but added the council had ‘frozen the process'.

She said there was a shortlist, and interviews would take place at the end of February.

‘I don't think we have been helped by local government reorganisation, and several other councils are on the same timetable for CPA ratings,' said Cllr Harding. Cambridgeshire CC is to renew its search for a chief executive in the new year, just two months after its initial hunt ended in farce.

Cambridgeshire CC leader, Shona Johnstone, quit her post last month amid an escalating row over the hiring of a new chief executive.

The new leader of Cambridgeshire CC, Keith Walters, told The MJ the council would start looking again in the new year. ‘We have been without a chief executive for too long,' he said.

The search for a new chief executive has resumed at Newham LBC, after the fiasco surrounding the appointment of Roger Tucker, earlier this year.

Deputy chief executive, Chris Wood, remained in the post as acting chief executive after the council failed to reach an agreement over the appointment of Mr Tucker, despite several months of negotiations. A council spokesman confirmed the recruitment process was getting under way again, and revealed executive search consultant Rockpools had been replaced by Gatenby Sanderson to help with the search.