District council appoints new chief executive

John Richardson will take up the position of chief executive at Harborough District Council on 11 December 2023.

John has worked in local government for over 30 years, initially with Leicestershire County Council, and in various roles at North West Leicestershire District Council. For the past six years, John has worked as a director with Blaby District Council.

A leisure professional by background, John has a range of front-line service delivery experiences including managing leisure centres, refuse and recycling operations, environment health and planning and strategic growth. John is a member of the Leicestershire Tourism Advisory Board and is an advisor to the Active Together Board. He is also the current chair of the Leicestershire Culture Board.

Leader of Harborough District Council, Cllr Phil Knowles, said: “The future will be challenging as we strive to deliver the best for our community. The appointment of the new CEO is a vital cornerstone and I’m delighted that John has agreed to accept the post. The calibre of the candidates who applied was extremely high and it’s testimony to John’s ability, experience and vision for the future that he came out on top. I’m looking forward to working very closely with him as we strive to deliver a great future for the whole of our community.”

Speaking about his new role, John Richardson said: ‘I am delighted to be appointed as the next chief executive of Harbough District Council - a district set in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside with a blend of market towns, rural villages and farming communities.

“Like all places, Harborough district has its challenges going forward, but I am excited to work with the excellent staff, elected members, parish councils, community organisations, businesses and residents to ensure we continue to deliver the very best services for everyone within the district.”