CORNWALL Council’s chief operating officer has resigned from the six-figure salary role after less than a year in the job.

The authority has said Alice Gunn has decided to leave due to personal reasons.

The chief operating officer / Section 151 officer role – basically the council’s chief finance officer – was advertised with a salary of up to £165,000 in August 2024. Ms Gunn was employed in January, replacing Tracie Langley, who joined the council in 2020 before retiring last year.

The council’s chief executive, Kate Kennally, issued a statement to staff about Ms Gunn’s departure. She said: “I’m saddened to share Alice Gunn has decided to resign from her role. When Alice joined in January, the intention was to relocate to Cornwall with her family. Unfortunately, for personal family reasons, that move hasn’t been possible and continuing to commute from Newcastle long-term isn’t sustainable.

“In the time she has been with us Alice has made such a huge difference to the senior team and to Cornwall. Alice is fully committed to leading the comprehensive spending review that is currently underway and supporting the work to deliver a balanced budget for the organisation as part of that, and we will shortly commence the process to find a replacement for Alice in the long term.”

Ms Gunn joined Cornwall Council in the financial officer role from Newcastle City Council where she served as director of transformation.

There was criticism about a “lack of transparency” when her predecessor first got what is one of the most senior jobs at the council after it was revealed Ms Langley, under her former name Tracie Evans, had been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in 2014.

She had admitted to CIPFA she had signed off accounts for a company she was a director of using the name and signature of a co-director without their knowledge. She received a “severe reprimand” by CIPFA.

Cornwall Council said that it was “fully aware” of her history before she was appointed.