Search for £200,000 council boss

The unitary authorities will be created in April 2009

A salary of £200,000 is being offered for the post of chief executive of a new unitary council in County Durham.

Seven district councils and the county council are set to be replaced by the single body in 2009.

The committee overseeing the creation of the authority says the new recruit will be one of the highest paid council officials in the region.

A spokesman said it was hoped an appointment would be made towards the end of June this year.

Councillor Albert Nugent, leader of Durham County Council and chair of the Implementation Executive, said : "It's a major job and a massive challenge.

"In many ways it presents the right candidates with a unique opportunity to set up and build what will be one of the most significant councils in the country, let alone the North East region.

"The salary on offer demonstrates our ambition to attract the best of the best."

The unitary chief executive will be responsible for a council which spends more than £1bn per year and employs 22,000 people, serving 500,000 residents.

Durham's district councils are Chester-le-Street, Derwentside, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale, Wear Valley and Durham City.