New ILEX boss to get£30k for city rebirth

The new ILEX chair - to be in place by late summer - will spend 2 or 3 days a month as midwife of the “social and economic rebirth” of Londonderry and all for pay of “up to £30k commensurate with experience per annum plus expenses.”

The salaries enjoyed by ILEX bosses previously have been very large. For example, Sir Roy’s salary for a part-time post in 2008/9 was over four times the average full-time wage in Londonderry.

In that year alone Sir Roy and former Chief Executive Bill Kirk together received over £284,892.

Now the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and the Department of Social Development are inviting applications for the job before the end of April.

It is hoped interviews will take place in late May with a list of suitable candidates to be delivered to First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland in June.

The Departments say: “This is an excellent opportunity to lead the social and economic rebirth of a historic city and its region at this time.

“OFMDFM and DSD established ILEX Urban Regeneration Company in 2003 to lead the regeneration of the former military sites at Ebrington Barracks and Fort George; and to create and promote the coordinated regeneration of the Derry City Council Area.

“Following the publication of the new regeneration plan for the city in June 2011 - One City One Plan One Voice - we now wish to appoint a new Chair. This remunerated role is for three years with the possibility of extension for a further term.”

The three year appointment will take the new incumbent up to the deadline suggested by consultancy BDO for the proposed winding down of ILEX.

The BDO review, which was published last year, envisaged the firm being wound down by 2016 and hoped the “end game” in terms of delivery of the redevelopment of Ebrington, Fort George and the Mark II regeneration plan was in sight.

Substantial progress has been made on at least two of the listed projects although a lot of work yet remains to be done.

The BDO report noted how ILEX had upped its game under the departed Sir Roy and that previously changes in leadership had posed difficulties.

“Significant flux across political, departmental and organisational environments - including changes to key leadership positions - coupled with the substantial regeneration challenges evident in Derry-Londonderry, contributed to a lack of traction until the current Chairman and Chief Executive assumed their positions in 2007 and 2009 respectively,” the report concluded.