Another council chief set to leave
HEAD OF TRANSPORT QUITS FOR NEW ROLE IN GOVERNMENT
ANOTHER senior figure is set to depart Newcastle City Council, after it was confirmed that the city’s top transport official is leaving his post for a government job.
Graham Grant, the city council’s assistant director for transport, is due to exit the civic centre this autumn to become the new director of planning and development for Active Travel England. It is the latest in a string of high-profile changes at the local authority over recent months, including former chief executive Pat Ritchie and leader Nick Forbes.
Mr Grant’s departure means that the council will be on the hunt for a new person to take charge of crucial issues, including the £41m restoration of the Tyne Bridge and the controversial imposition of city centre pollution tolls under a proposed Clean Air Zone.
Michelle Percy, director of place at Newcastle City Council, said: “We’re extremely sad to be losing Graham but this is a massive opportunity for him and we would not wish to stand in his way..
“He’s not only led the way on major transport schemes that are helping to make our city cleaner, greener and better connected, he’s also secured millions of pounds of investment that has helped to fund important improvements to our transport networks.”
Since Ms Ritchie left the city council last October, there has been something of an exodus of key figures from the civic centre’s corridors of power. That has included public health director Eugene Milne, director of city futures Tom Warburton, children’s services head Judith Hay, and planning boss Iain Fairlamb.
There has also been an overhaul in the city’s political leadership after Nick Forbes was ousted, with Byker councillor Nick Kemp having recently taken over as Labour council leader and promising a wide-ranging “reset” of frontline services.
The council’s finance boss, Tony Kirkham, was also due to be heading out of the exit door but it has been confirmed that he will now be staying on.
He had been due to become finance and resources director at Nottingham City Council but it has recently been reported that the Midlands authority, which last December was forced to issue a section 114 notice for unlawful spending, had withdrawn a job offer.
A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: “We have been aware for some time that Tony Kirkham is not leaving to work for Nottingham City Council and he continues to be employed as our director of resources.”