Martin Hamilton
Personal profile
Martin Hamilton is the former Chief Executive of Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council, now working as an independent adviser to local government. Whilst at Newcastle, Martin led a staff team of c.430 serving a population of 123,000 in a mix of rural and urban communities. Martin has held senior roles in large urban unitary authorities, rural district and coastal borough councils, and in a partnership of three councils served by a single staff team. His experience spans leadership roles in corporate and governance functions as well as leading functions such as property, economic development, tourism and events, and operational services. Martin has worked across England and Wales in authorities of various political make-up.
Martin took up his role at Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council at a time when the organisation’s senior team was in a state of some turmoil and highly dependent on interim managers, including all three statutory officers. His experience of rebuilding the senior team, and using that process to create a confident and positive culture within the organisation as a whole has given him very practical insights into the added value that effective senior leadership behaviours and relationships provide, over and above the impact of talented individuals alone. He champions positive role modelling of both individuals and teams and his leadership was noted in the Council’s most recent Corporate Peer Challenge report which noted exceptional partnership working, strong financial management and sector leading practice in work with vulnerable residents.
Key achievements
- Rebuilt the senior team, provided clear leadership, and re-established essential working relationships and governance with elected members in response to a previous governance crisis.
- Through active personal leadership, secured resolution to longstanding borough issues including leading cross agency action on a significant pollution issue;
- Transformed customer access and service configuration to drive savings;
- This included introducing a new recycling service; town centre management, and maximising the use of technology to shift demand and create efficiencies;
- Realised performance improvement and cashable efficiencies through active management of sickness absence and targeted capability interventions.
Specialism(s)
Mentoring, Peer Assessment/Quality Review, Disciplinary Investigations, Grievance Investigations, Exec Recruitment
- Sector Specialism: Local Government
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Work Locations:
West Midlands
