Lorraine O’Donnell joined Cheshire East Council in the week of Covid lockdown in 2020. Whilst leading the covid response and recovery for the Council and chairing a sub-regional recovery group, Lorraine oversaw the production of a new Corporate Plan, the development of the Council’s first balanced MTFS and the implementation of a Committee System form of governance. Prior to joining Cheshire East Council, Lorraine was Director of Transformation and Partnerships at Durham County Council leading a large transformation programme that included downsizing the Council’s office estates, introducing new ways of working and streamlining processes. Lorraine joined Durham County Council in 2009 as part of a new management team to build a new unitary council which achieved Council of the year in 2014.