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The council confirmed that Kevin O’Keefe is set to retire from his £190,000-a-year position as Chief Executive, a role he has held since 2019. Mr O’Keefe is stepping down to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests.
Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, praised Mr O’Keefe’s contributions, saying, “Kevin has worked with me in realizing the potential of key investment sites, including his work to establish the prestigious Eton College sixth-form college within Dudley, one of only three such sites across the UK, and the establishment of our learning quarter which delivers the Black Country Institute of Technology, the National Very Light Rail innovation centre, and our forthcoming Life Sciences park. We are grateful for the contribution Kevin has made to the council during his tenure as chief executive and wish him all the best for the future and hope he has a very happy retirement.”
Background on Kevin O’Keefe
Mr O’Keefe, 59, joined Dudley Council from Wolverhampton Council, where he was Director of Law and Governance. Before that, he served as the Director of Shared Legal Services at Herefordshire Council.
In recent months, Mr O’Keefe has been busy overseeing the local election and then the general election in Dudley as the authority’s returning officer.
In 2022, he defended the council after it faced criticism for sending a delegation to Cannes, France, for the Mipim property conference. The council was accused of spending around £100,000 for nine delegates to attend the event. Mr O’Keefe argued that attending Mipim was essential for the council’s key decision-makers, and they brought back leads that could result in millions of pounds worth of investment in the borough.
Council’s Current Situation
The council is currently conducting a major review of its operations to overcome severe financial challenges that put it at risk of becoming effectively bankrupt.
Councillor Harley stated, “Arrangements will be made in due course to appoint an interim chief executive to ensure continuity of service delivery, ahead of a process to appoint a permanent chief executive commencing later in the year.”
