East Ayrshire Council's chief executive, Eddie Fraser, is retiring due to family commitments, the local authority announced today. The decision follows a period of uncertainty at the top of the council, after it was revealed in May that Fraser and his depute, Richard Grieveson, were not currently available to undertake their duties.
Fraser said: "It has been a privilege and a joy to serve the people and communities of East Ayrshire and to work with Elected Members, employees of the Council and partners from public, private and voluntary sectors."
Interim Management Shake-Up
Following a meeting of the full council, officials confirmed that Fraser will retire. Joe McLachlan, former Director of Finance and Digital, has officially assumed the role of Chief Executive on an interim basis. These arrangements will remain in place until October 2027.
Council Leader Douglas Reid paid tribute to Fraser: "I have known Eddie since he joined East Ayrshire Council in 1998 and I worked closely with him, particularly in his role as Director of Health and Social Care since 2014, and as Chief Executive since 2020. I want to thank Eddie for his service to East Ayrshire Council, it has been a pleasure working with him, and on behalf of all Elected Members we wish Eddie a long and happy retirement."
Career Highlights
Fraser's local government career began over 40 years ago when he joined Strathclyde Regional Council on an employability training programme. He took opportunities for development to qualify as a social worker. In 1996, he joined Glasgow City Council before moving to East Ayrshire Council in 1998.
He became Head of Community Care/Chief Social Work Officer in 2008 and then Director of East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership in 2014. Fraser was appointed Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council in 2020, becoming the first social worker to be appointed to the role of local authority Chief Executive in Scotland. He also served as the Portfolio lead for Health and Social Care for SOLACE Scotland, the professional body for Chief Executives and Senior Managers in local government.
