A former Acting CEO of Kilkenny County Council has been confirmed as the new Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council.
Armagh native Seán McKeown has been working with the local authority for many years and is well regarded both within the organisation and by those who have dealt with him.
He served most recently as its Director of Planning, Economic and Environmental Services, previously as Director of the South East Action Plan for Jobs and Head of Enterprise and Economic Development while he was also at the helm of the organisation as interim CEO for just over 15 months when the position was vacated by Colette Byrne.
It’s long been mooted that he would make the move to the neighbouring body and today it’s been confirmed that his appointment has been ratified with a start date of the 21st of August.
Speaking of the appointment Mr McKeown said, “I am honoured and privileged to be confirmed as Chief Executive by the Elected Members of Waterford City and County Council. I am looking forward to working with them and the staff across the various teams in the Council’s service areas to make Waterford the best place in Ireland to live, work and invest in.”
He also paid tribute to Interim Chief Executive, Ivan Grimes and his predecessor, Michael Walsh for “the significant contribution made to Waterford.”
In May of this year, Walsh retired as Chief Executive, having been appointed Chief Executive of the newly amalgamated Waterford City and County Council in 2014, to oversee the merger of the former city and county councils as part of local government reform.
Key projects, under his stewardship include securing almost €200m investment in the North Quays Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), leading Waterford City and County Council in delivering on all housing tenures and leading in the tackling of vacancy and dereliction, the regeneration of rural towns and villages under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), the establishment of the Waterford Greenway, consolidation of Waterford’s rich history and heritage, and playing an integral role in the establishment of the South East Technological University.
Mr McKeown added, “Waterford is on an upward trajectory with a strong pipeline of ambitious projects and plans in place, and I am excited to be at the heart of delivering them. I am committed to developing close working relationships and collaborating with the local community, academic stakeholders and business groups, along with the Council’s staff to ensure Waterford continues along this trajectory.”
Key projects that he is looking forward to driving include the delivery of Waterford as Ireland’s first carbon neutral city, copper-fastening Waterford and the South East region’s economic resilience, development of tourism, the continuation of Waterford’s leading track record in tackling vacancy and dereliction, and furthering investment in Waterford’s physical and digital infrastructure.
