CEREDIGION County Council could choose to appoint a new deputy chief executive despite warning that it is facing more funding cuts and could make more staff redundant.

Current deputy chief executive Eifion Evans has been named as the authority’s new chief executive, and will start in the role on 1 October following the retirement of Bronwen Morgan.

Mr Evans was paid over £115,000 as deputy chief executive in the 2016/17 financial year, but the council admitted that the authority could look to appoint another deputy chief executive when Mr Evans takes up the chief executive post.

A spokesperson said: “No decision has been made at this time regarding the replacement of the deputy chief executive post.”

The deputy chief executive post had not been in place until Mr Evans was appointed to the role in July 2015, sparking criticism that a new highly paid role had been created at a time when the authority was looking to make staff redundant.

The role had been justified by council leader Ellen ap Gwynn as being necessary because of additional work pressure, especially with Mr Evans asked to oversee the council’s controversial contract with consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers which saw the company net more than £2m for suggesting service cuts in the county. But it was criticised by opposition Welsh Liberal Democrat councillors who questioned the need for the post.

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