Tributes paid to Chief Executive

Tributes were paid today (Thursday 27 June 2013) to Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of The Highland Council who retires at the end of August after 21 years with the Council, the last 6 at the helm.

Leaders of the political groupings on the Council marked his final meeting of the full council by thanking him for the expert and ever-reliable guidance to elected members and also his leadership of the Council’s senior management team and 10,000 staff.

His management skills had helped establish the Council as a high performing organisation, well respected throughout Scotland.

From Kelso, Mr Dodds entered local government in 1979 and worked with Lincolnshire County Council and Fife Regional Council in personnel roles before moving to the Highlands in 1991 as Assistant Director of Manpower Services with the former Highland Regional Council.

In 1995, he was appointed Director of Personnel with the Regional Council.  In 1998, he was appointed Director of Corporate Services and Depute Chief Executive with The Highland Council.

In his role at the Council, Mr Dodds is responsible for a revenue budget of £600 million and a capital budget of £87 million.  The Council has 10,000 full time equivalent staff based in an area stretching 10,000 sq miles.  The area is the largest of any of the 32 Scottish councils.

Leaders of The Highland Council’s four groups: Leader Drew Hendry, Depute Leader David Alston, Convener Jimmy Gray, and Leader of the Opposition, Carolyn Wilson as well as Deirdre Mackay (Depute Leader of the Labour Group) all paid tribute to Mr Dodds.

Mr Dodds said it had been an honour and a privilege to have served the Council for the past 21 years, the last 18 in a senior management role and last six as chief executive.

He thanked his 10,000 staff and senior management team for delivering essential public services so effectively and praised elected members for the leadership in representing the views of Highland communities.