Isle of Wight deputy steps up to become new CEO

Wendy Perera will take charge of the Isle of Wight Council, the HQ is at Newport

The Isle of Wight has promoted its deputy to lead it after it lost its last chief executive to another council.

Wendy Perera had been acting as interim CEO of the island council since last April after John Metcalfe left to join another authority.

Ms Perera will be on an annual salary of £138,038, nearly £6,000 more than her predecessor.

A total of 21 candidates put themselves forward for the position.

Ms Perera has worked at the council for much of her career with roles in the planning department and was part of the team who developed the Island Core Strategy, the council's former planning framework.

Her appointment was approved by the majority of Isle of Wight councillors, with one abstention and one vote against, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Council leader, councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox said the internal advertising campaign saved the authority nearly £18,000.