By Julian Whittle

Last updated 11:43, Friday, 08 August 2008

DISQUIET is growing about plans for Carlisle City Council chief executive Maggie Mooney to work at Allerdale Council part time.

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Allerdale’s chief, Gillian Bishop, leaves shortly.

The council approached Carlisle to ask if Ms Mooney could fill the vacancy for six months while it searches for a replacement. She would split her time 50-50 between Carlisle and Allerdale’s HQ in Workington.

Now Michael Boaden, leader of the Labour opposition at Carlisle, has condemned the proposal.

He said: “This seems like the beginning of the end of Carlisle City Council as a council with any pretence of an agenda for serious change.

“I am astounded that this proposal is even being discussed, particularly as it would appear that there is no political consensus within Allerdale that this is the right way forward. Reducing capacity by removing the chief executive for a period of time will not assist in facing the significant challenges that lie ahead.”

But the Conservative leader of the city council, Mike Mitchelson, defended the proposed job share and accused Labour of “playing politics”.

He said: “It’s a sad state of affairs if we can’t answer a call for help from a neighbouring local authority.

“We are in an era of partnership working and sharing opportunities and learning from each other.

“We have a strong senior management team who can step up to the challenge [of covering for Ms Mooney] and it will help them in terms of career development.

“Our services will be maintained to the highest level.”

Mr Mitchelson would not, however, rule out making the job share permanent if Allerdale wanted to.

Allerdale Council is expected to approve Ms Mooney’s appointment on Wednesday.

But there too the opposition Labour group has misgivings.

Labour leader Alan Smith said: “This proposal will undermine Allerdale Council.

“The post of chief executive officer is not a part-time post and to suggest that it is, is simply staggering.

“This is another example of Allerdale Council’s executive lacking leadership.

“Once more they have shown they are quite incapable of making a decision.

“We now have an indecisive, impotent and inept council.”

Workington’s Labour MP Tony Cunningham has also stepped into the row.

He said: “This decision is saying that west Cumbria is so unimportant, we can afford to be run by a part-time chief executive.

“This shows a disrespect for west Cumbria.”

Carlisle and Allerdale councils have also drawn up plans to save £2.2m over six years by merging their IT departments, cutting six jobs.

They say there should be no redundancies.

JWhittle@cngroup.co.uk