Cornwall Council's new chief executive has said she is in the job for the long haul, a week after taking up her post.

Kate Kennally, who started work on January 11, told the Packet in an interview on Tuesday that meeting the challenges faced by the council could be a ten year project.

Ms Kennally who claims over 20 years experience in public services, most recently as deputy chief executive at the London Borough of Barnet, has taken over at the council during what she called a "decade of reduced public money."

In an interview with the Packet, she said the council faced the same challenges as the rest of the country, as well as additional pressures with its "economic situation" and geographic location.

She said one of the main challenges was "how we make sure that we build the infrastructure, whether that's digital or transport infrastructure that allows Cornwall to be really connected to the rest of the UK."

"There are also challenges around how to deliver great public services with the limited resources.

"That's where partnerships with businesses, the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), government, everyone, is crucial."

She said meeting the challenges faced by the council was "a long term project, and I want to commit to it."

"I took this job on a long term basis, because what we need to do in Cornwall is a five, or ten, year project."

Another challenge which she said faced the council was giving people access to "good quality" housing and employment in their area.

Asked about balancing housing provision with Cornwall's tourist industry and concerns about the environment, Ms Kennally said: "The council has taken some time in getting its local plan right, and has just announced the start of a consultation for public works from January 25.

"It will set out which areas we should be really protecting in terms of our environment... but also where there are sites for development, where we can renew brownfield sites, and where there are areas where there's housing need for local people that we need to address."

Asked about recent government threats to take responsibility for the local plan away from Cornwall and complete it in Westminster, she said she was confident that would not happen as the council had "responded in full" to the recommendations of the planning inspectorate and she expected it to get "a clean bill of health."

Cornwall Council is facing a period of devolution, and Ms Kennally said: "It's a really important and exciting agenda, and this council has made clear that devolution is not just about more powers from Whitehall coming to Cornwall Council but getting closer to local communities.

She highlighted the setting up of a devolution and communities team, and said the council would provide local authorities with resources to ease devolution, and it was "about a real partnership between town and parish councils and... local partners."

And the council would also strive to transfer assets that are in good condition, while providing advice, and officer support where needed

Regarding the current membership of Cornwall Council, which has 123 elected councillors, Ms Kennally said that number was an issue for the Boundary Commission, which is currently reviewing electoral boundaries.

But she added that the number of councillors means the council has 123 "eyes and ears... from St Just to Bude, helping to understand the issues they are facing in every local community."

Ms Kennally, who has moved from Hertfordshire with her family, including enrolling her son at a Cornish college, concluded: "Although I don't come from Cornwall I'm absolutely committed to being a part of Cornwall. Both working in the council and also as a new resident in Cornwall.

"There have been comments about whether chief executives come and go in Cornwall Council, it's my intention to remain in this post for as long as I can be of value."

Kate Kennally joined the London Borough of Barnet as assistant director of health partnerships (younger adults) in 2006, after working in health and social care roles for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority, Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust, Buckinghamshire County Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

She then held roles with Barnet as deputy director, then director of Adult Social Services, director of Social Care and Health and director of Children’s Services, and strategic director for Communities before becoming strategic director for Commissioning and deputy chief executive.