The Town Clerk and Chief Executive of the City of London Corporation, John Barradell, has released a statement to announce his imminent retirement.
John said,
After almost a decade I have decided it is now time to retire from my present role.
I joined the City of London Corporation as the capital basked in the glow of the London 2012 Olympics.
Over the next decade we have faced some tumultuous times with the tragedy of the Grenfell fire, terrorist attacks and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to be felt.
In the City we have established new trading arrangements in the aftermath of Brexit, seen off challenges to our status as the world’s centre for financial and professional services and defeated further terrorist attacks.
At the City Corporation we have undergone a major organisational restructure, maintaining focus on our public services whilst also keeping finances on an even keel. We have started new, exciting major projects which will transform the capital in the years to come.
I have been honoured to have played my part in seeing us through these times.
I could not have achieved any of this without the support and dedication of public service colleagues and political leaders, both here in the City and across London, who have worked tirelessly for the benefit of all.
I will forever owe them a debt of gratitude for this.
John will officially step down at the end of the year and then stay on as a consultant to the City of London Corporation for a further two years.
City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said,
The inspiring leadership, clarity of vision and unstinting determination John has shown has been crucial in guiding us through some difficult times and he leaves the City Corporation on a solid footing for the future.
Not only the City but the capital as a whole owes John a debt of gratitude for the public service he has shown over the past decade. He has worked tirelessly for the benefit of Londoners.
Before arriving in the City, John served as Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council and Deputy Chief Executive at Westminster City Council.
He volunteered in the Metropolitan Police for 27 years, eventually serving as Chief Officer of the Special Constabulary. He was awarded an OBE for services to Policing in 2008.
John is a trustee of the National Emergencies Trust, a charity dedicated to supporting those affected by disasters in the UK. He chairs the board of trustees at the Sir Simon Milton Foundation, which helps young people into work and tackles isolation among older people.
In addition to his duties while at the City Corporation, John serves as Deputy Chair of the London Resilience Forum, the organisation which ensures the capital is prepared for and responds to emergencies.
John led the government Recovery Task Force which pulled together the London and National response to the Grenfell Tower fire, which claimed 72 lives in June 2017.
He also chairs the Strategic Co-ordination Group which responded to the Covid pandemic across London, made up of representatives of the emergency services, the Greater London Authority, health services, local authorities, transport providers and the voluntary sector.
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