RECRUITMENT of a new permanent financial officer to help run bankruptcy-threatened Somerset Council has fallen through after its latest appointment backed out at the last moment.

Herefordshire Council’s director of finance Rachael Sanders was one of three shortlisted candidates and her appointment with the Somerset authority was confirmed on March 4.

However, shortly after accepting the job, which could have attracted a salary of up to £170,000, Ms Sanders cited ‘family reasons’ and withdrew.

It left Somerset to go back with a job offer to the second person shortlisted, but they also turned it down.

Now, the council has retained its interim finance officer Cleve Heaphy, on a £7,000 a week salary.

Mr Heaphy was supposed to have stepped down at the end of last month but has now agreed to stay until March 31, 2027.

Conservative opposition group leader Cllr Diogo Rodrigues branded Somerset’s head of finance role as ‘the job nobody wants’.

Cllr Rodrigues said: “It speaks volumes about the state Somerset Council is in under the Liberal Democrats.

“The candidate who pulled out would have been the fifth finance officer in just four years.

“That level of turnover is not normal and is evidence of political instability at the very top.

“This is Lib Dem chaos and Somerset households are paying the price through higher council tax bills.”

Council resources officer Jack Henniker said: “The role is critical to ensuring lawful and prudent financial management, advising members and officers, safeguarding public funds, and providing leadership for the council’s financial strategy.”

Somerset has been without a permanent finance chief since July, 2024, when Jason Vaughan left as one of about 50 senior officers who took redundancy in the early days of the council’s declared financial emergency.

Mr Vaughan’s departure sparked controversy when it was reported his redundancy package could cost more than £500,000.