East Suffolk Council chief to retire after 40 years in local government

Stephen Baker began his career as an administrative assistant at Ipswich Town Hall in 1982. He finishes as chief executive of the largest district council in England – East Suffolk – with a population of more than 250,000.

The first 20 years of Mr Baker's career were in Ipswich where he rose steadily through the ranks before becoming, effectively, main assistant to legendary chief executive James Hehir.

He said: "I started off in the recreation and amenities department under Randall Bevan and moved through a number of roles at the council until Jim Hehir came along.

"He soon set me up in an office next to his and soon it became clear that although my title was a bit different I was there as his main assistant to ensure things got done."

Mr Hehir's enthusiasm ensured a period of great progress for Ipswich but, with many changes coming through, Mr Baker felt it was time for a new challenge and in 2002 became chief executive of East Northamptonshire District Council.

Although his workplace changed, Mr Baker continued to live near Ipswich: "It took me an hour and 10 minutes to drive from home to Thrapston (where the council was based). It takes me an hour and a quarter to get from my home to our offices in Lowestoft so that was no great problem."

In 2005 he became chief executive of Suffolk Coastal District Council which was then based at Melton Hill just outside Woodbridge town centre. In 2008 his job changed significantly when he became one of first people in the country to become chief executive of two separate councils.

Stephen Baker took over as chief of Waveney as well as Suffolk Coastal in 2008. (Image: East Suffolk Council)

Waveney needed a new boss, and its council had been overseen for some months by St Edmundsdbury chief Deborah Cadman who would later become chief executive of Suffolk County Council.

Senior councillors at Waveney, led by Mark Bee, approached Suffolk Coastal to ask about sharing their chief and, eventually, a deal was done – but not without a last-minute dash up the A12.

Mr Baker said: "The appointment of a new chief executive needs to be approved by the full council, as does any job split like this.

"So the appointment had to be approved by both councils on the same night. I started the night at Melton where it was first on the agenda of Suffolk Coastal.

"Once they had approved it, I had to drive up to Lowestoft where it was the last item on their agenda – that's the only time I had to attend two council meetings on one day!"

After nearly a decade of sharing a chief executive and ever more council functions, the logical move was to form a single council.

Mr Baker said: "David Ritchie, who is still a councillor, said 'we share a chief executive, and an administration. Let's just form a single council' and it all happened from there.

"I have to say there were very few objections from any politicians and we pushed on and East Suffolk Council came in during 2019."

The second round of elections for the council are due in May next year – and that partly helped to determine Mr Baker's decision to go at the end of 2022.

He said: "The new chief will come in and will then appoint a fourth director for the council and the new team will be in place to organise the election and be ready for the new council.

"Had I not gone now I really would have had to wait until at least the end of next year – and I think it is better to have a completely new start in May."

He doesn't plan to take things too easy in retirement – he wants to do more gardening and help with the family farm.

He also hopes to do some consultancy work and help mentor newly-appointed senior council officials as they get to grips with their new job.

The Port of Felixstowe is one of the major features of the East Suffolk district. (Image: Archant)

But he accepts things will be very different and he knows he will have regrets about leaving a job he has loved.

"East Suffolk is an amazing place," he said. "Every district has its own unique feature but in East Suffolk we have so many

"It has Britain's largest container port, BT at Martlesham, Sizewell, 50 miles of coastline, Minsmere, the AONBs (Areas of Natural Beauty), CEFAS and another large port at Lowestoft.

"And that ignores the heritage, the castles, the tourism and the breweries – it is a very important area for the whole country."