A SENIOR officer has left the council after his post was scrapped.

The authority has launched an internal consultation over its senior management structure.

Under the proposals, the post of executive director of families and wellbeing has been deleted.

The council confirmed Steve Peddie, who held the position, has now left.

But to maintain a ‘joined-up approach’ to families and wellbeing services, one senior member from the operational directors is planned to act as a co-ordinator.

Other proposals include the development management service transferring to the director of growth and the customer contact centre transferring to the director of customer and business transformation.

If implemented, the changes across senior management are expected to reduce costs from £1.65 million in 2019-20 to £1.47 million in 2020-21.

But the structure will be subject to ‘continuous review’.

A council spokesman said: “There is an internal consultation within the council regarding the structure of the council’s senior management team.

“This is the first management review since early 2017. It aims to make further financial efficiencies and produce a flatter, less hierarchical structure.

“Under the proposals, the post of executive director of families and wellbeing has been deleted.”

Council chief executive Steven Broomhead says the proposals are about ‘further increasing efficiency’ and to ensure that senior management resources are deployed ‘equitably and effectively’.

He added: “Steve Peddie, the executive director, has left the employment of the council.

“He began work here in 2014 and he leaves the council with his service’s performance in a much better place than when he joined.

“His legacy includes a ‘good’ Ofsted outcome for children’s services. We wish Steve every success in his future endeavours.

“The consultation with trade unions and staff concludes in early December, with the recommendations being presented to the council during that month.”