Ruth Mullen

Director of Environment
Carmarthenshire County Council, Wales

Ruth has over 30 years’ experience in Local Government, with both English and Welsh Local Authorities. She began her career as an engineer in highway and drainage design and contract management, working on significant drainage schemes for residential development and numerous environmental improvement and public realm enhancement projects. Ruth was responsible for the development of transport strategy and policy, developing schemes to promote and enhance multi modal travel to minimise carbon emissions.

For over 15 years Ruth has worked at corporate management level in Local Government. This has included leading the Highway and Waste Management Service at Cardiff Council, with responsibility for the delivery of a household waste collection, recycling and disposal service, development of the Municipal Waste Strategy, managing the highway asset and providing 24 hour services and emergency responses. Ruth was the lead Cardiff Council representative on the partnership board for the procurement of a 25 year contract for the treatment and disposal of residual waste.

Ruth joined Worcester City Council as Corporate Director in 2011 with responsibility for Service Delivery. Ruth led a number of customer facing services including refuse collection, street cleansing services, highway and public realm improvements, leisure and cultural services, housing and community services, and planning. Procurement activity included replacement refuse collection and street cleansing fleet, and procurement of a leisure services operator and procurement of the design and construction of a new swimming pool facility to a value of £10million.

Currently Ruth is Director of Environment at Carmarthenshire County Council, with responsibility for Highways and Transportation, Waste and Environmental Services, Planning and Property, with an overall revenue budget circa £90m. Ruth is the corporate lead for delivering new and improved schools, with a capital spend exceeding £90m, and is responsible for the capital programme for major highways projects of circa £30m over 5 years. Ruth is also responsible for the development and delivery of the Local Development Plan and for meeting the duties under the Environment Act including developing initiatives to provide green solutions for carbon sequestration. Currently Ruth is the Director with corporate lead responsibility for Carmarthenshire County Council’s Net Zero Carbon agenda, with service specific lead responsibility for the procurement of ULEV new fleet vehicles for refuse collection and highways winter maintenance, transforming the waste disposal and treatment services to maximise recycling and deliver circular economy solutions, delivery of low carbon solutions for Council properties including schools, LED street-lighting, partnership projects with Welsh Government to deliver an electric bus solution and introduction of electric vehicle charging points.