The former managing director of Isle of Man Creamery has taken up the post of clerk at Port Erin Commissioners.

Findlay Macleod will start the role later this month saying he is ‘looking forward’ to working with the local authority.

He added: ‘With a strategic review underway and several important challenges to address, I am looking forward to working with the commissioners to benefit the residents and businesses of Port Erin, one of my favourite places in the island.

‘There will be much to learn as I embark on my first role in the public sector, but that is one of the aspects that makes this opportunity so appealing. I believe the skills and experience I have developed throughout my career will be highly relevant to the work ahead.’

Mr Macleod takes over from interim clerk Phil Gawne.

Chair of Port Erin Commissioners Hannah Mackenzie said: ‘Findlay joins us following a distinguished 26-year career leading Isle of Man Creamery. His extensive experience in delivering capital projects, working with diverse stakeholder groups and providing strong leadership makes him an excellent fit for the role.

‘We are delighted to welcome him and look forward to the contribution he will make as Clerk to the Commissioners.’

The local authority says it had a previously ‘failed’ application process because of a lack of experience and candidates ‘canvassing’ board members to garner support.

It adds that the latest process used independent human resources support from Douglas Council to ensure it was ‘fair, transparent and robust’ and Mr Macleod’s appointment was unanimous.

The commissioners say it ‘very much’ regrets its earlier failings, but the cost of both recruitment processes is ‘more than covered’ by salary savings from not recruiting a clerk until now.

It adds that it apologises to candidates who were ‘inconvenienced’ by the failed process, and also to ratepayers for the mistakes made in the first attempt.