Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB Published: 21 March 2008
Helen Bailey
Town Hall boss moves to top Treasury job
ISLINGTON’S chief executive – whose appointment was once at the centre of the longest-ever Standards Board inquiry – is moving to a high-profile post in charge of £250billion of Treasury money. Helen Bailey has been appointed the Treasury’s new director of public services, overseeing billions of pounds of spending annually on education and children, health, housing, communities and local government.
Ms Bailey, who earns between £145,000 and £160,000 at the helm of the Town Hall, has confirmed she will not be taking a pay cut, following a series of discussions with her new employer. She will move to the Treasury in July.
The Tribune revealed last month how Ms Bailey’s successor at Islington is in line for a maximum £190,000 salary after the council approved a £30,000 pay rise for the position.
Ms Bailey, who will join the third-highest tier of Treasury civil servants, said: “I’m going to take from Islington an awful lot of operational decisions on the impact of services. Places such as Islington are able to provide on the ground. Hopefully, I can bridge the gap between the theoretical decisions government makes and practical decisions on the ground. Islington has just been such a variety of rich experiences.”
Second Permanent Secretary John Kingman said: “We are very much looking forward to Helen joining the Treasury. She brings a strong track record of experience of public services at the sharp end.”