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NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR OLDHAM COUNCIL NAMED
Oldham Council’s next Chief Executive is to be Charlie Parker, currently the Director of Investment and Performance for English Partnerships. The appointment of Mr Parker, 47, is expected to be confirmed at the full Council meeting taking place next Wednesday 16 July.
The choice of Mr Parker was a unanimous one of the three political groups of the Council whose leaders made up the selection panel. Council Leader Howard Sykes said of Mr Parker’s appointment: “We have made a really good choice for the Council, the borough of Oldham and our region. Charlie’s appointment will make sure Oldham is able to punch above its weight. And I believe the speed at which Charlie wants to work will frighten some people. But that can only be a good thing both for the Council, Oldham and its citizens,” said Councillor Sykes.
Mr Parker is expected to take up his appointment in October and will succeed Andrew Kilburn who is moving to become Chief Executive of Waltham Forest Council in London later this year.
The Council’s main and minority opposition group leaders are equally impressed with the choice of Mr Parker who, in his current role with English Partnerships, is responsible for all corporate financial services and investment planning for a £700 million Government agency.
Councillor Jim McMahon, for the main opposition Labour Group, said: “It has been a gruelling, intensive selection process and the quality of candidates has been extremely high. But for me Charlie stood out as being the person with the qualities and a clear track record to move Oldham forward and continue the work of improvement and change that is already underway.”
For the Conservative Group Councillor Jack Hulme said: “I am delighted to be party to what was a unanimous decision. I feel strongly that Charlie is the right person to take Oldham in the direction we are seeking and the background and skills he brings will prove key factors.”
Mr Parker has wide ranging strategic and operational management experience within major private and public sector organisations. Before taking on his job with English Partnerships he was the Group Strategic Director of Enterprise plc where he was responsible for the company’s development of public sector markets with a value of £200 million.
Before that he was Executive Director for Regeneration at Liverpool City Council and has also held the posts of Director for the Speke Garston Partnership and Head of the Inner Cities Unit at Manchester City Council.
Mr Parker said of his appointment: “This is a unique opportunity and one which I feel honoured and privileged to have been given. I am excited by the challenge to become involved with an authority that has so much potential. But I am under no illusion that the Council still has further to go in delivering its improvement programme and that Oldham the place needs to be viewed by the outside world in a more positive way – and this, I am pleased to say, is already happening.
He is a graduate of Warwick University and is married with two children. His hobbies include walking, swimming and skiing and is a keen fan of football, cricket and rugby and is a season ticket holder at Manchester City.