Former Tower Hamlets LBC chief executive, Martin Smith, has been hired as the new chief at Ealing LBC, in a move set to re-ignite the debate over ‘boomerang bosses'. Mr Smith was ousted from his East End post this summer, following a clash with leader, Lutfur Rahman (see The MJ, 11 June). After a failed attempt to suspend him, the council reportedly paid Mr Smith £500,000 to terminate his employment. The council's handling of the case was subsequently criticised by the district auditor. Mr Smith's appointment to Ealing is likely to cause embarrassment to communities and local government secretary, John Denham, after he vowed to clamp down on what he described as ‘boomerang bosses'. Speaking at the Labour Party conference last month, Mr Denham claimed: ‘I will tackle the boomerang bosses who walk away with huge payouts, straight into their next jobs.' Mr Denham has also asked the Audit Commission to investigate pay-offs to senior staff. Its consultation has now closed, but it is yet to report to the CLG on its findings. Mr Smith will replace former chief executive of Ealing, Darra Singh, who has moved on to run JobCentre Plus – one of the toughest jobs in Whitehall. He was appointed to the west London borough in 2005, and won The MJ's Best Achieving Council award for the authority in 2009. Tower Hamlets has also hired a new chief executive to fill its vacant post. Kevan Collins, the current acting chief executive and deputy chief executive will take over permanently. Dr Collins joined Tower Hamlets as director of children's services in 2005. He described his new role as: ‘A fantastic opportunity to continue improving public services in an area that is vibrant and full of opportunities, yet facing more than its fair share of challenges.' Mr Smith's appointment has yet to be ratified by the council. In a statement, Ealing said: ‘The council's appointments panel is strongly recommending Mr Smith's appointment as the best candidate from a strong field and an excellent appointment.'
