County council finance chief retiring after 40 years

THE county council’s chief financial officer is to retire after 40 years of local government service – but not before sounding the alarm bell over the authority’s dire financial situation, writes Natalia Forero.

Rob Carr, HCC’s deputy chief executive, chief financial officer and director of corporate operations, will retire at the end of March, the authority has said.

In his role as chief financial officer, Mr Carr played a key role in the recent request of the council for exceptional financial support (EFS), denied by the government, which could have allowed the council to increase council tax by 15%.

In report written by Mr Carr, he stated he is “content” with the robustness of the budget for 2025/26.

However, he said that using reserves to close the budget will catapult the council in the direction of having to issue a Section 114 notice – effectively declaring bankruptcy – since the council will run out of reserves for the next year and has “no other options open to it to close this level of gap on a recurring basis”.

He said increasing council tax by only 4.99% “increases the likelihood that the council would issue a section 114 notice – and/or trigger a further request for EFS – before the 2026/27 financial year.”

He completed 40 years of service in local government in November 2024.

The council said his retirement decision was particularly influenced by his commitment to finishing the county council’s crucial budget planning for 2025/26, which began in December 2022.

Mr Carr joined the county council in 2011 when he was one of the deputy county treasurers. In 2013, he was appointed the head of finance and pensions to create the corporate resources department.

As part of this role, he was also appointed as the treasurer to the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority for a decade. He became director of corporate operations in July 2021 and has been deputy chief executive since April 2023.

The leader of the council, Nick Adams-King, thanked Mr Carr for all his work through the years and said the 2025/26 budget and capital programme will be his legacy; it will include delivering building and infrastructure projects totalling £1.2 billion from this year onwards.

Cllr Adams-King said: “I’ve only been a leader for a year. There are many people around this table who have been members of this council much longer, but throughout that time, you have provided us with excellent advice.

“You have been a friendly and listening source of support to all of us politicians who, sometimes, may not have completely understood the financial stuff you’re explaining. Your patience in going over it yet another time for each of us has been very much appreciated.

“Thank you so much for all you have done. We wish you a very happy retirement and a well-deserved one.”

Andy Lowe, the current deputy director of corporate operations, will take up the role of director on an interim basis.