The likely salary of Herefordshire’s next top public official has been revealed.

Following the announcement that current chief executive Paul Walker will step down at the end of March, Herefordshire Council’s employment panel met to set out how his replacement will be recruited.

The leaders of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green and Independents for Herefordshire (i4H) groups as well as Cabinet member for finance agreed that the role of chief executive should be retained, given difficulties faced by other authorities which had tried to forgo the position.

A report for the meeting said salary for the chief executive role “is currently set at £174,377”, a figure approved by councillors in February.

The council’s director of human resources Tracey Sampson told the panel: “Given the degree of reorganisation going on in local government, I think there will be plenty of people in districts interested in this role, [along with] corporate directors in large counties.”

I4H leader Coun Liz Harvey thought the salary was “pitched about right”, being in the lower quartile compared with other local authorities, which “aligns with Herefordshire as a smaller council”.

Ms Sampson said there will be a two-stage interview process early in the new year, whereby a longlist of candidates would be invited to each give a presentation, then “four, maybe five would come in for the full selection”.

Council leader and leader of the Conservative group Jonthan Lester said timing will be “tight” and “will be a challenge” as senior officials will be busy with authorities’ budgets at the time.

And Coun Terry James of the LibDems warned that an agreed candidate “may still have to fill out their contract” and so not be available for the start of the new financial year in April.

The council has budgeted a further £20,000 for the recruitment process, which will be handled by a specialist recruitment agency, yet to be appointed.

It has meanwhile named John Hobbs as its new corporate director for economy and environment, effective from next week.

A qualified quantity surveyor and solicitor, Mr Hobbs has led infrastructure and regeneration programmes in both private and public sectors.