Sunderland culture chief retires after decade helping city buzz and glow
John Kelly has held the culture portfolio in various forms for almost a decade.
But ahead of his plans to step down as a city councillor at the 2021 elections, responsibilities have been handed over to his cabinet colleague Linda Williams.
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Hide AdCllr Williams, the current deputy cabinet member for Children, Learning and Skills, will take over at a challenging time for arts, culture and leisure on Wearside, with many ventures and venues shuttered or operating at limited capacity due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
But Cllr Kelly thinks he will be leaving his successor in a strong position.
He said: “We have a positive future and I’m sure everyone will continue to work hard for the different cultural elements of the city.”
Cllr Williams, in turn, feels she also leaves her portfolio covering children’s services in a strong position and praised the work of cabinet member Louise Farthing and children’s services director Jill Colbert for their work turning around the department rocked by a damning Ofsted inspection in 2015.
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Hide AdLooking ahead to her new role overseeing the ‘Vibrant City’ brief, Cllr Williams said she was keen to promote Wearside’s heritage with projects such as Washington’s F Pit, while also looking to the future.
She added: “I don’t have a pre-judged idea of what I will go in to do, I will have to see what the priorities are as they come through.”
“John Kelly should have retired in May, had there been local elections [which were cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak],” said council leader Graeme Miller.
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Hide Ad“I had already aligned his replacement and I then had the awkward situation of having a cabinet member in place with someone waiting to come in.
“So I asked [Linda Williams] to hold on so John could finish some work, which he has now done and asked to go back to being a regular councillor.”