Sefton Council boss to retire after four decades of public service

Dwayne Johnson started out as a care assistant in the 1980s

The chief executive of a Merseyside council has announced he is to retire after more than four decades in local government.

Dwayne Johnson, chief executive of Sefton Council, will step down later this year.

Mr Johnson, who took up the role in 2019, started out as a care assistant in north east England in the 1980s.

He said Sefton was "a very special place" and that it had been an "enormous privilege" to serve.

Sefton Council leader Ian Maher thanked Mr Johnson for his work, he said: "He has acted with integrity and transparency, and he is highly respected in Sefton."

Mr Johnson led the council's response to Covid-19, which saw Sefton at the forefront of testing, with the first ever dedicated walk-through Covid-19 testing sites in Cheshire and Merseyside being deployed by the army and council staff.

He also chaired the Merseyside Resilience Forum's Test and Trace cell, ensuring swift and easy access to testing for all Merseyside residents.

Mr Maher added: "He will be greatly missed by all of us across the council, and I know everyone who has worked with him will wish him and his family all the best in his retirement."

The council is expected to begin the process of recruiting a new chief executive in February.