New £215,000 Norfolk County Council CEO was reality show winner

Bacon’s appointment comes after Tom McCabe suddenly quit the post shortly after Reform took control of the authority in May.

Alongside his hospitality ventures, Bacon spent 19 years as chairman of the Norfolk Independent Care Association, which supports more than 600 organisations and 11,000 staff in the adult social care industry, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The 63-year-old has also sat on the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership – a network of local NHS organisations and councils, and previously was given an Outstanding Leadership in Public Services award by the county council.

Last year, he emerged as winner on Four in a Bed, where B&B owners compete against each other to be named best host.

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“We were impressed with Dennis’s commercial and public sector experience,” said David Bick, the Reform leader of the council.

He added Bacon was determined to “ensure value for money and quality services for the residents of Norfolk”.

Final interviews for the role were conducted this week.

According to a council report, external, 49 people applied for the job.