After five years of distinguished service as Chief Executive of Herefordshire Council, Paul Walker has announced that he will step down from the role in March 2026.
Paul Walker, who joined Herefordshire in May 2021, said:
“After 43 years in public service, and a good deal of thought and consideration over the summer, I have decided to step down as Chief Executive.”
“My decision to step down has been an incredibly difficult one to make, especially given the progress we have made as a council.”
“There is no great time to announce leaving as chief executive, but doing so in the week we were formally recognised by our peers as a ‘good’ council with ‘strong leadership’ and a firm financial base, shows I am leaving the council in a strong place, albeit with some big challenges ahead.”
Council Leader, Jonathan Lester, said:
“I am incredibly grateful to Paul for his outstanding and distinguished service to the people of Herefordshire. He joined in 2021, at a challenging time for the council, and has worked tirelessly—supporting different administrations—to bring about significant changes and improvements.
“In particular, Paul has been instrumental in overseeing improvements in children’s services, recently recognised by Ofsted and the Children’s Commissioner, and in strengthening our financial management, while delivering better value for money for taxpayers. He has also played a key role in preparing for strategic capital projects and driving forward the council’s ‘year of delivery’—a focused effort to enhance the county’s infrastructure, cultural assets and prospects for growth and investment.
“Under his tenure as chief executive, the council has gone from strength to strength, and on behalf of the entire Cabinet, I wish him all the best for his next chapter. In the meantime, I will continue to be working closely with Paul as we navigate a challenging six months.”
Councillor David Hitchiner, Chairperson of the Audit and Governance Committee, and former leader of Herefordshire Council (between 2019 and 2023) said:
“I am very proud to have appointed Paul as Chief Executive during my tenure as leader of Herefordshire Council. He came at a very challenging time and got to work straight away, addressing the council’s biggest problems. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Paul and saw him work tirelessly for the people of Herefordshire, especially at time of crisis, such as flooding and guiding the county out of the Covid pandemic. He has made a hugely important contribution to the council and to public service more generally.”
Paul began his 43-year career in local government and public service as a trainee lifeguard, and then went on to hold senior roles across a range of services, including Executive Director at Blackpool Council, Chief Executive at Copeland Borough Council, Executive Consultant at Rossendale Council and Corporate Director at the London Borough of Harrow.
Herefordshire’s journey of progress since Paul’s arrival in 2021 was most recently recognised in the Local Government Association’s Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) report, published this week following the peer team’s visit in June 2025. The CPC described Herefordshire Council as “a good council that is striving hard to improve further,” and commended its leadership—both political and managerial—for openness, accessibility and collaboration.
Paul Walker continued:
“It has been an honour to serve as Chief Executive at Herefordshire Council, working with outstanding and hard-working councillors and officers, and alongside our local partners in public services, local businesses and the voluntary sector. It has been a pleasure to have worked in a place of outstanding beauty, rich heritage and astounding charm.
“But most of all, it has been a privilege to have led an organisation that serves and supports the people of Herefordshire, including those most in need and in whose lives the council plays a central and positive role. I feel that I am leaving the council in a strong place, with firm foundations and an exciting future.
“Over the next six months as chief executive, my focus will remain on serving the people of Herefordshire. I will be making the case to secure the funding and support Herefordshire deserves in light of changes to how the government allocates resources to councils, while at the same time continuing to pursue more efficient services and balancing the budget. I will be continuing to work with partners to help realise the ambitions of the council, driving forward our major projects that will bring long-lasting benefits to our communities, and continuing my commitment to our improvement journey for children’s and other services. And, I’ll be keenly supporting the smooth transition to a new chief executive.”
Image credit: Herefordshire Council
