KERSTEN England has been announced as the preferred candidate to become Bradford Council's new chief executive.

Ms England, who is the current chief executive of the City of York Council, previously worked for Bradford Council as director of policy and performance, leaving the authority in 2005 after 12 years.

Her appointment, announced yesterday, has to be ratified at a full meeting of Bradford Council next month.

She is set to take over from Tony Reeves who quit his City Hall role after eight years last year to become a partner in professional services network Deloitte's public sector advisory practice from this January.

Ms England, who has been at the helm in York since 2009, said she would be departing with "both the excitement of a new challenge and great sadness in knowing what a special city I am leaving behind".

She said: "It has been my privilege to serve the elected representatives and the people of York, alongside the truly talented, professional and committed people working at City of York Council who care deeply about the families and neighbourhoods of this city.

"I feel proud to have been a part of this authority and all that it has achieved over the past six years, even in the face of reducing budgets and increasing demands."

Ms England also worked as director of local government for Yorkshire and the Humber in the department of communities and local government between 2005 and 2007.

She was also director of communities at Calderdale Council between 2007 and 2009.

Her appointment follows a six-month recruitment programme which also included Bradford Council calling in head hunters to fill the position.

The appointments panel, made up Bradford Council leader David Green, deputy Council leader Imran Hussain and Conservative representative Cllr Mike Ellis, had to go back to the drawing board in January after none of the candidates they interviewed were deemed suitable for the job.

Cllr Green, who was chairman of the recruitment panel, said: "Kersten England, currently chief executive at City of York Council, has been selected as the preferred candidate for the job of chief executive at Bradford Council after a rigorous recruitment process.

"The recruitment panel will recommend their preferred candidate, Kersten England, to full Council on May 19 for approval to appoint her to the post of chief executive at Bradford Council.

"The chief executive at Bradford Council is one of the biggest officer jobs in local government.

"We are the fourth largest single tier authority in the country, employ around 20,000 people and currently have a net budget of £401 million."

"The chief executive plays a very significant role, working closely with the Council’s executive and councillors across all of the political groups

represented on the Council, in contributing to the delivery of the Council’s priorities."