City chief urged to rebuild trust with politicians

The new chief executive of Cork City Council has been urged to rebuild trust between councillors and senior city management.

The call came last night as Ann Doherty, the council’s first female chief executive, attended her first full council meeting at the end of her first day at work in the organisation.

The meeting heard examples of how councillors have lost trust in some senior officials over several issues, including the Deanrock landbank sale, the management of the housing maintenance department, and a decision to proceed with a controversial bike lane on the Lower Glanmire Road.

While welcoming Ms Doherty’s appointment, Cllr Sean Martin (FF) said a level of distrust has emerged in recent years between councillors and some senior city management.

He urged the new CEO to devise a strategy that will allow management to work with councillors for the betterment of the city.

Cllr John Buttimer (FG) also welcomed her appointment but warned she faces a baptism of fire, with decisions on the local property tax, the city’s events centre, and budgetary issues to be debated over the coming weeks.

Ms Doherty, a former senior HSE official, said she is looking forward to working with councillors.

She said she respects that there have been difficulties in the public service in recent years but said the Government’s reform agenda is very important and will help deliver improvements.

“I hope to meet councillors individually over the coming four or five weeks to understand the issues,” she said.