County Council Chief Executive sets out retirement plans

Carolyn Williamson joined the County Council in 2010 and has held the post of Chief Executive for the last four years – as the Authority’s first female Chief Executive. Her previous roles have included Deputy Chief Executive; Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Resources.

Mrs Williamson said: “I am incredibly proud of the work of the County Council and the exceptional and committed elected Members and staff across the organisation who tirelessly serve Hampshire’s 1.4 million residents. While I appreciate there’s never an easy nor obvious time for a Chief Executive to make this announcement, this has been a wholly personal decision, one that I have been planning for several years, and now is the logical moment to step aside, for me and for the organisation.

“The County Council has set the 2025/26 budget and is clear on its transformation initiatives over the coming year which will contribute towards closing the budget gap for 2026/7, and despite the financial challenges, the Authority’s services delivered to the people of Hampshire remain strongly performing against every measure. At the same time, the County Council is moving forward with its journey towards devolution and local government reorganisation, and now is the right time for new leadership of the business of the Council to see through the changes and transitions into the new organisations in the coming years.”

The process to appoint a new Chief Executive will begin in due course.