South Ayrshire Council News

Lesley Bloomer

South Ayrshire Council has appointed a new Executive Director to its Corporate Management Team with responsibility for planning, tourism, roads, waste management, property and assets, environmental health, trading standards and customer service.

Lesley Bloomer will take over as Executive Director of Development & Environment when Graham Peterkin retires in the autumn.

Lesley is currently a Performance Adviser working through SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) Enterprises to help Scottish Councils improve their performance and has worked with around 12 of the 32 local authorities in the country.

She is also currently Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

She previously held the role of Director of Performance Audit for Education, Enterprise and Justice with the public sector watchdog Audit Scotland, where she led teams to deliver a series of influential performance reviews. She also sat on the Board of the Care Commission and played a key role in establishing the overall strategic direction of the organisation.

Councillor Bill McIntosh, Leader of South Ayrshire Council, said: "This is a challenging time for local government and it's vital we have the right people in place as we move forward. I am delighted Lesley is joining South Ayrshire Council and look forward to working with her and the rest of the Corporate Management team to make a positive difference for the people and communities of South Ayrshire."

David Anderson, Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Council, said: "Lesley brings considerable experience from both public and private sectors and her impressive record in performance management speaks for itself.

"I'm sure she will make a strong contribution to the Council as we continue on our improvement journey and will play a key role in the Corporate Management Team as we work to establish South Ayrshire as the most dynamic, inclusive and sustainable community in Scotland."

Lesley said: "I am delighted to be joining South Ayrshire Council and I look forward to working with my new colleagues in Development and Environment, as well as across the Council and our many partners.

"South Ayrshire is where I grew up and it's great to be able to contribute to its future prosperity and quality of life."