Dennis Bacon, a businessman with extensive experience in adult social care and a past winner of the Channel 4 reality show "Four in a Bed," has been appointed as the new chief executive of Norfolk County Council. He is set to begin his role next month.
The 63-year-old's appointment follows the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Tom McCabe, shortly after the Reform party gained control of the council in May. Bacon's background includes 19 years as chairman of the Norfolk Independent Care Association, an organization that supports over 600 entities and 11,000 staff within the adult social care sector.
He has also served on the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, a collaborative network of local National Health Service organizations and councils. Previously, he received an Outstanding Leadership in Public Services award from the county council. Bacon was selected from a pool of 49 external applicants for the chief executive position.
David Bick, the Reform leader of the council, stated that the selection committee was impressed by Bacon's commercial and public sector experience. Bick added that Bacon is committed to ensuring "value for money and quality services for the residents of Norfolk."