Finance chief latest to resign from council

Cornwall Council's chief operating and finance officer has resigned after six months in the role due to personal reasons, the authority's leader has said.

Annabel Scholes has become the third senior member to leave the authority in October following the resignations of chief executive officer Kate Kennally and service director for people commissioning Rachael Rothero.

Scholes took over the role in March, following the departure of Alice Gunn, who had been in the role for less than a year and also decided to leave due to personal reasons.

Leader Leigh Frost said he could not pretend the departures were not a problem and "whilst it is a pretty hefty bump in the road, it is only a bump".

Scholes said it was a "difficult decision" to step down but was "incredibly proud of what we have achieved together".

Scholes' role had a six-figure salary, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Andy Keeling, interim deputy chief executive, thanked Scholes for her "important contribution", and said the council's "immediate focus" was to ensure "continuity in our financial leadership and maintaining momentum on the work already under way".

Frost said the organisation did not "stand or fall on one person".

"It takes a bigger team to deliver and that team is there - They're good at what they do and I have every faith in the work that they do," he said.

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