Office Holders
ACCE leadership comprises the chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer. ACCE chairs are in place for two years, after which the vice-chair assumes the role unless the role is challenged by another member. The secretary is responsible for member communications, and the treasurer for the ongoing financial guardianship of the network. Both positions are not time-bound and positions are filled as and when the current post-holder steps down from their duties.
Rachael Shimmin, Buckinghamshire Council – Chair
Rachael Shimmin is the first CEO for the new unitary council of Buckinghamshire, an organisation which was created on 1 April 2020 bringing together the five predecessor council in the county. This has created a council with a gross budget of over £1bn and is the 2nd largest non-metropolitan unitary council in the country.
The new council was launched in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic and Rachael established and lead a series of partnership arrangements across the County to respond to the pandemic locally.
Rachael came to Buckinghamshire in September 2016 and lead the County’s bid and subsequent implementation of the first county based unitary for 11 years.
Rachael helped to lead local government reorganisation in County Durham, delivering a unitary council in 2009, with significant financial savings and service improvements. The Council went on to become Council of the Year in 2014.
Previous roles include the Corporate Director for Children and Adults Services at Durham County Council having responsibility for a revenue budget of over £800m and team of 3,000+ people. Rachael has extensive experience in the key sectors of children’s services, adult social care, health and community safety.
Rachael has been the North East regional Chair of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS)/ The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) and the local government representative on a variety of regional and national boards focusing on issues relating to health and social care.
Rachael is currently the County Council networks CEO lead on adult care and health, a member of the council of the university of Bedfordshire, a Board member of the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives, a member of BOB ICB, Trustee at Helena Kennedy Foundation and a member of a number of national government advisory boards. Rachael is a qualified Executive Coach and Peer Reviewer for the Local Government Association.
Rachael lives in Buckinghamshire and enjoys spending time with her 13 year old son and Dexter and Teddy, two adorable but disobedient cockapoos.
She was awarded the OBE for services to social care in 2014.
Dr Stephen Moir, Cambridgeshire County Council – Vice-Chair
As the Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire County Council since 2022, Stephen is involved in leading one of the fastest growing places in the country, working with a range of system partners and elected members to deliver the Council’s vision of creating a greener, fairer, more caring Cambridgeshire.
Stephen previously worked for the Council between 2005-2011, as a corporate director. Immediately prior to re-joining Cambridgeshire, Stephen was the Executive Director of Corporate Services for the City of Edinburgh Council. A proud and committed public servant, Stephen has undertaken a range of leadership roles in Local Government, the NHS, and Policing, at local, regional, and national levels, including as Chief People Officer and the Head of the HR profession for the NHS in England.
In 2022, Stephen was elected as the Deputy National Spokesperson for Leadership and Learning for the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE).
Pete Bungard, Gloucestershire County Council – Honourary Treasurer
Pete has worked for councils in Yorkshire, Essex, Cornwall and now Gloucestershire, with secondments in his early career into a Department for Transport motorway construction unit and British Rail. His first chief officer role was in 1998 as Environment Director for Gloucestershire, and he took up his current role as Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council in May 2005.
Pete’s current priorities as CEO include the oversight of Children’s Services improvement; a radical demand management programme within Adult Services; and adapting the Council’s operating model to reflect the reality of the current challenges.
Pete is a member of the University of Gloucestershire Council (governing body) and is also Chair of the University’s Audit Committee.
Pete also Chairs the county’s Anti Slavery Partnership which has, to date, had some very positive outcomes in both raising awareness and multi-agency intervention.
Pete has, for a number of years, Chaired the South West Adult Improvement Board, responsible for leading sector led improvement in their area. This also provides linkages for corporate oversight and member engagement in regional activity.
Richard Flinton, North Yorkshire Council – Secretary
Richard has been Chief Executive since July 2010 and has worked for NYCC for over 30 years – first joining as Trainee Trading Standard Officer, becoming Assistant Head of Trading Standards before using his background in economics to lead the Economic Development Team, then Assistant Chief Executive in 2005 followed by Director of Business & Environmental Services. As Chief Executive, Richard has covered statutory roles of Director of Children & Young Peoples service and Health & Adult Services at different times during the last 8 years and has detailed knowledge of the council and North Yorkshire.
Richard chairs North Yorkshire Chief Executives group, North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum and in 2014 chaired the Local Authority Delivery Group which co-ordinated the delivery of the Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire. Since the inception of Tour de Yorkshire, Richard has been a member of the Tour de Yorkshire Steering Group and more recently the Board of Yorkshire 2019 World Cycling Championships, leading local authority delivery arrangements. He is also lead Chief Executive for Yorkshire & Humber on children’s services.
Richard was admitted to the College of Fellows (CoF) during the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Conference in June 2016. He is Honorary Secretary of The Association of County Chief Executives (ACCE) and also lead officer for ACCE on finance issues. He sits as a member of the national steering group looking at future local government funding. Richard was also appointed to the Ministerial Sounding Board for children’s services.