Questions have been raised over the ability of Coventry City Council’s chief executive to continue in his role effectively after it was announced he has also been handed the top role in the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Coun John Blundell, the leader of the Conservative opposition on Coventry City Council, has spoken of his concern at the appointment of Martin Reeves to the role of chief executive of the WMCA.
But council leader Ann Lucas defended the move, saying Mr Reeves was the clear choice and would be championing Coventry in the role.
The WMCA is a partnership between seven metropolitan councils, including Coventry and Birmingham, who have come together in a bid to secure more funding and powers from central government.
Mr Reeves has taken up the position as the organisation’s interim chief executive with immediate effect and will split his time between the new position and his existing role with the council. It is not yet clear how long the interim appointment will last for, or if Mr Reeves might look to continue in the role more permanently.
As city council chief executive, he had been working on the creation of the WMCA – helping to conduct negotiations with the other Midlands authorities and advising councillors on the progress of those talks.
A WMCA statement confirmed the appointment today, but clarified that the role would not be paid. But Mr Reeves will continue to pick up more than £210,000 a year in pay and pension benefits for his role as chief executive of Coventry City Council.
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Coun Blundell, who has taken a long-term position of opposing the formation of the WMCA, has raised concerns over the amount of time the new position would take up.
He also pointed to Mr Reeves’ decision to step down as a director of Ricoh Arena firm ACL in 2014 - citing the need to focus more time on his role with the council.
Coun Blundell said: “We always knew the combined authority would take more and more of Martin’s time, it’s a concern. We have had this issue before when he was a director of ACL.
“The role is not paid, but Martin’s time is at a cost to the Coventry taxpayer. With ACL, something that was meant to be easy managed to occupy every waking hour. The WMCA is a much bigger fish to fry.
“As the WMCA progresses it’s going to take more and more of his time up. How can he do both jobs?
“We will certainly be expressing our concerns in the Conservative group that Martin Reeves is taking over.”
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But council leader Ann Lucas defended Mr Reeves and the decision to allow him to take up the role with the WMCA.
Coun Lucas said: “Of course he is going to be able to do both roles. Do you think I would have allowed him to be considered if I thought he couldn’t?
“For the last 18 months Martin Reeves has been working 18 hour days doing the two jobs anyway. It’s just formalised now.
“I have no doubt we have got someone, not only with capability, but someone who will be championing Coventry at the same time.
“He was the clear choice of all the leaders in the region.”
Asked about the concerns Mr Reeves could find himself in a similar position to when he was on the board of ACL, Coun Lucas said: “I don’t think that’s a fair comparison.
“With ACL there was always a point where it was going to be the right time, and the right timing, to step down.”