Dudley Council’s chief executive is to stand down after five years at the top of the Black Country authority.

The council confirmed Kevin O’Keefe is to retire from the £190,000 per year job he has held since 2019. Mr O’Keefe is leaving to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests.

Cllr Patrick Harley, leader of the Dudley Council said: “Kevin has worked with me in realising the potential of key investment sites, including his work to establish the prestigious Eton College sixth-form college within Dudley – one of only three such sites across the UK and the establishment of our learning quarter which delivers the Black Country Institute of Technology, the National Very Light Rail innovation centre and our forthcoming Life Sciences park.

“We are grateful for the contribution Kevin has made to the council during his tenure as chief executive and wish him all the best for the future and hope he has a very happy retirement.”

Mr O’Keefe, aged 59, joined Dudley Council from Wolverhampton City Council where he was director of law and governance, prior to that role he was director of shared legal services at Herefordshire Council.

During the recent months Mr O’Keefe has been busy overseeing the local election and then the general election in Dudley as the authority’s returning officer.

In 2022 he spoke out after the council was criticised for sending a delegation to glamorous Cannes in the south of France for a trade event.

The authority was accused of spending around £100,000 for nine delegates to attend the Mipim property conference and opposition politicians claimed the real cost was three times higher for other trips that did not happen due to the Covid pandemic.

Mr O’Keefe defended the trip saying key decision makers from the council had to be at Mipim and they brought back leads which could result in millions of pounds worth of investment in the borough.

The council is currently carrying out a major review of how it operates as it searches for ways to overcome severe financial challenges which leave it at risk of becoming effectively bankrupt.

Cllr Harley added: “Arrangements will be made in due course to appoint an interim chief executive to ensure continuity of service delivery, ahead of a process to appoint a permanent chief executive commencing later in the year.”