Steve Jorden took the post of Executive Director and Head of Paid Service in Feb 2015. Since his appointment he has been responsible for driving forward the most significant change in the way two district councils work since reorganisation more than forty years ago but perhaps the most interesting element was the joint approach taken to recruitment.
The shared partners, South Hams District and West Devon Borough Councils, are pioneering a new working model to protect local services. In December 2013, the two councils embarked on a transformational change programme to deliver a 30% reduction in annual net expenditure whilst radically improving the customer experience and making the Councils’ service provision fit for the 21st century.
In considering how best to deliver the quality of services residents need, the emphasis became as much about behaviors’ as it did about skills.
Prior to this Steve established Worcestershire Regulatory Services, a pioneering shared service between six District Councils and Worcestershire County Council
This innovative project pulled together Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing from across seven authorities, into one shared service hosted by Bromsgrove District Council. It is thought to be the first of its kind in the country.
Having spent the last five years knitting this service together Steve has learnt a lot about transformational change, change management and leadership.
Before establishing WRS Steve was Head of Environmental Services at Wychavon District Council, a role he held since 2004, which he got whilst working in Margaret River, Western Australia as a Director of Planning, Environmental Health and Building Control
Steve, originally qualified as an Environmental Health Officer in New Zealand in 1982 but left in 1989 to ‘backpack’ around Europe.
He returned to the UK and got a job as an EHO in Sevenoaks, Kent before working for Dublin Corporation, Ireland in the early 90’s.
Steve returned to the UK in 1994 where he worked as a Senior EHO in East Cambridgeshire District Council for several years before moving to Forest Heath District Council in Suffolk as a deputy head of service.
A chartered Environmental Health Practitioner his wide experience of managing and working in Local Governemnt spans across New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the UK.
