Alderney's Chief Executive stands down with immediate effect

Wednesday 11 November 2020

Andrew Muter has stepped down from his role as Alderney's Chief Executive by "mutual agreement".

Mr Muter has infamously been missing from the island since July, when he left without any apparent intention to return.

The news of his resignation comes just months after he was persuaded by the States of Alderney to stay, in order to help the island through the pandemic. 

However, he has not been based in Alderney for at least three months and islanders have been demanding to know the whereabouts of their CEO - their highest-paid civil servant. By law, the Chief Executive must be 'ordinarily resident' in Alderney. 

Senior Alderney politicians told a People's Meeting last month that they had "been advised by the Law Officers not to talk about it".

Pictured: Policy & Finance Chairman James Dent, right, told Express in the summer that Alderney has faced staffing issues in several key positions in the last year. 

Mr Muter's absence compounded staffing issues that have plagued the island’s civil service over the last 12 months. Policy & Finance Chairman James Dent told Express earlier this year that the States of Alderney had lost their States Engineer, Treasurer, Planning Officer and Economic Development Officer during that timespan. 

Recruiting for these roles has been difficult due to the pandemic, and other staff have deputised on a temporary basis. Guernsey civil servant Adrian Lewis, who has previously acted as Interim CEO, is carrying out those duties until Christmas.