Combined county authority names first permanent Director of Legal

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has appointed Sanjit Sull as its first permanent Director of Legal, Governance and Compliance & Monitoring Officer.

The EMCCA said Sull has most recently been Group Manager Legal, Democratic Services and Information Governance (Deputy Monitoring Officer) at Nottinghamshire County Council and prior to this was the Interim Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer at North Northamptonshire Council.

The combined authority said that Sull has worked across all tiers of local government.

It added: “She has supported large scale commercial projects and programmes and had contributed nationally to local government improvement through her involvement in Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Reviews, acting as a governance lead across various councils. Her reputation for integrity, legal acumen, and strategic insight has made her a trusted advisor at the highest levels of local government.”

Amy Harhoff, Chief Executive at East Midlands Combined County Authority said on LinkedIn: “This is a vital role for us, ensuring strong governance, legal clarity, commercial acumen and the highest standards in public life of ethical leadership as we grow into our powers and responsibilities as a devolved authority.

“Sanjit is a highly experienced local government lawyer and governance professional with a distinguished career in public sector legal services having starting her career in private practice.

“We are excited for her to bring her expertise, personal drive and commitment to EMCCA and to play a crucial part in shaping how we work - with integrity, transparency and purpose.”

Sanjit Sull said: “I am truly honoured to join EMCCA as the first permanent Director of Legal, Governance and Compliance & Monitoring Officer. This is a pivotal moment for the organisation, and I am committed to supporting EMCCA’s mission by ensuring robust legal frameworks, transparent governance, and the highest standards of integrity in all we do.

“Having spent many years working in local government law and democratic governance, I am excited to bring my experience to this role and to collaborate closely with colleagues and senior leadership across the authority to make sure we safeguard public trust and drive excellent decision-making as EMCCA grows and evolves."

The EMCCA was formed in March 2024. It is led by an elected Mayor, Claire Ward, and covers the four local authority areas of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham.