FORMER Essex County Council chief executive, Joanna Killian, now head of local government for private-sector giant KPMG, is poised to take over from outgoing Surrey County Council (SCC) boss David McNulty, subject to full council approval.

Ms Killian, who took up the role at Essex County Council in 2006, faced criticism in 2009 over her £230,000 salary after she took on the role of chief executive of Brentwood Borough Council alongside her Essex County Council job.

The arrangement came to an end in 2012 and she left Essex County Council to join accounting firm KPMG in 2015.

Mr McNulty was paid a salary of £230,719 for the 2016/17 financial year, up more than £14,000 on the previous year. He also claimed £4,289 expenses, up from £4,053 the previous year.

Subject to SCC full council approving the appointment next month, Ms Killian is expected to take over as chief executive in the first few months of 2018.

SCC leader David Hodge said: “Joanna will be a huge asset to Surrey and I hope full council will agree she is clearly the best person for the job.

“I am delighted we have been able to secure someone with so much experience both in the public and private sector. I have no doubt the expertise she has developed with KPMG and Essex will be enormously beneficial to the county.”

Ms Killian said: “It’s both a pleasure and a privilege to be joining Surrey. Clearly the staff and members have done some amazing things in recent years and the county is looking at a future with truly transformed public services.

“Working for KPMG has been fantastic but I can’t wait to get started in Surrey so we can continue to improve services and get on with the crucial work of shaping them around the modern needs of residents.”

She began her career in housing at Redbridge Council and went on to work for both Tower Hamlets and Croydon before becoming director of local government performance and improvement at the Audit Commission.

Ms Killian joined Essex in 2005 as director of policy, resources and performance, becoming chief executive a year later and is credited with guiding the authority to savings of £620 million in five years. She has spent the last two years at KPMG as a partner and head of local government and devolution.