One of the highest-paid figures in local government was today reported to be moving to head Shropshire Council as its new chief executive.

Kim Ryley has been boss of Hull City Council for the past five years.

A special meeting of the Shropshire authority is being held tomorrow to receive the recommendation of its appointments panel which finished interviewing candidates for the £180,000-a-year post of chief executive a fortnight ago.

It is keeping the name of the successful applicant under wraps.

Council spokesman, Simon Alton, said today: “We can’t possibly comment until the meeting tomorrow.”

However a newspaper in Hull said that Mr Ryley was set to leave the city to take charge of Shropshire Council.

He is reported to be one of the highest-paid figures in local government, earning more than £200,000 last year.

His £192,493 salary for 2008/09 was topped up with a £10,815 payment from the Government for his role as the returning officer in last year’s council elections.

It is expected he will start his new Shrewsbury-based post in September.

During his time in Hull, the city council has gone from being labelled the worst-performing local authority in England to being judged a three-star performer – out of a possible four stars – by the public spending watchdog the Audit Commission.

However, earlier this month one leading union official at the council said Mr Ryley’s pay could no longer be justified.