A top council officer is to leave York for a new job at Birmingham City Council.

City of York Council isrecruiting for a replacement director of governance and monitoring officer following the resignation of Janie Berry.

Ms Berry took up her role in December 2019 after working as director of legal and democratic services at Derbyshire County Council.

The salary for her role is £91,383 – £101,318, pending a 2022 pay award, and the council is now seeking permission to form a sub-committee to oversee her replacement.

Ms Berry will leave her post in early September 2022 and an interim director may be required, depending on how long it takes the council to fill the job.

She said: “During my time in York I have enjoyed working with some outstanding, dedicated people. I am proud of how hard they have worked, and continue to work, to support the people of this great city through unprecedented challenges.

“My decision to move on wasn’t an easy one, but as I prepare to take up the role of city solicitor and monitoring officer at Birmingham City Council, I am now looking forward to the challenges of my new role, and wish all the best to my colleagues in York.”

The recruitment costs will be around £5,550 – £6,000, including the cost of advertising.

The process will be discussed at a meeting of the staffing matters and urgency committee on Thursday, July 7.

Responsibilities of the director of governance at York include the governance and decision making of the council, democratic and scrutiny services and internal audit.

Ms Berry had been at the council for less than two months when a controversial £400,000 payout to the former chief executive of the council, Mary Weastell, was authorised at a meeting chaired by council leader Keith Aspden – despite Ms Weastell also having lodged an employment tribunal against him.

Ms Berry said she would “do things an awful lot differently now” in a meeting last year after independent auditors raised concerns about the handling of Ms Weastell’s departure.