CEO quits without working notice

Shire president Matthew Reid said Mr Hooper had handed in his resignation on Tuesday and he had accepted it.

His departure was effective immediately, with the Shire not requiring him to work a period of notice. At a special meeting of the council, it was decided to advertise for an interim CEO to replace Mr Hooper.

The Shire quickly hired Michael Keeble, a former CEO of the Wheatbelt GP Network and more recently General Manager Business Services at Perth Central and East Metro Medicare.

Mr Keeble, a qualified accountant with experience in local government, will fill the role on a temporary basis. The acting CEO said he was stepping into the role to ‘steady the ship’ and he had enormous respect for Mr Hooper.

‘I go back a long way with Ray and I have a very high opinion of him,’ he said.

The Shire also announced a 90-day review into all aspects of its policies and procedures.

Mr Reid said the review would not include a specific probe into Mr Hooper’s past performance.

‘I don’t think that would be necessary,’ he said.

He said although some members of the community were not happy with Mr Hooper, he had always found him to be ‘very knowledgeable’.

‘I think there is a mixed reaction ” some people were supportive of him and others were not.’

Mr Hooper had been the Shire’s CEO for the past nine years.