Town hall boss takes charge of TWO councils Salford mayor Paul Dennett said: “Salford council is exploring the offer of providing interim leadership support to Trafford council until a new chief executive is recruited and in post. “We have excellent pro
TEMPORARY MEASURE SEES SALFORD CHIEF SPEND HALF WORKING WEEK AT TRAFFORD
SALFORD council’s chief executive will be in charge of two local authorities for the next six months.
Jim Taylor, who earns £153,000 a year at Salford town hall, will spend half his working week at Trafford until the end of the year.
The move could pay dividends for Salford as Trafford will be picking up part of his wage bill.
It comes after Trafford council’s chief executive, Theresa Grant, resigned weeks after a new Labour minority administration was formed.
It is seen too as a means of cementing a new ‘alliance’ between the two boroughs after a political shock at the last local elections.
Ms Grant’s resignation came less than two months after a bitterlyfought local election saw the Tories lose control over the authority after 14 years.
Labour’s Andrew Western – who had been critical of a number of the council’s initiatives in recent years, including plans to build on the green belt – confirmed he would be leading the council in a minority administration.
Trafford will also have to pay towards the wages of one of Salford council’s strategic directors, Ben Dolan, who will step up to cover for Mr Taylor when he is in Trafford. Mr Dolan currently earns £118,000 a year.
Mr Taylor, formerly chief executive at Rochdale town hall, took the reins at Salford in 2014. Trafford and Salford boroughs already share one police boss.
Chief Supt Wayne Miller became Territorial Commander for Stockport, Trafford and Salford in January 2017.
Salford’s political leaders see closer links with Trafford as important with the development of Port Salford – a key driver for the economies of both boroughs.
Peel Holdings bosses want to see a rebirth of Manchester Ship Canal as a busy cargo route, with the creation of a huge freight terminal at Barton and Irlam.
At a cost of £138m, Port Salford will be the UK’s first tri-modal – rail, road, sea – inland facility, assisted by £30m worth of public grants and loans.