Colleagues’ tributes to new development director

TRIBUTES have been paid to the new development chief of Birmingham City Council as the process begins to find his replacement in North Staffordshire.

Mark Barrow was confirmed in the role of strategic director of development with the city council – a post which has sat empty since last summer following the departure of Clive Dutton to work in East London.

Now colleagues of the out-going chief executive of Newcastle Borough Council have praised his achievements during his tenure.

Deputy council leader Cllr Robin Studd said: “It reflects very well on our council that the chief executive has been chosen for such a high-profile post as the one he will move to in Birmingham.

“The proof of the pudding for our residents is always around the quality of services they receive and whether they are value for money. Mark has undoubtedly helped the council deliver on both these fronts.”

Borough council leader Cllr Simon Tagg added: “On behalf of all the borough’s councillors, I would like to place on record our thanks to Mark for his efforts not only on behalf of the council but for Newcastle-under-Lyme.”

 Mr Barrow was appointed to the post in March 2007 and oversaw a transformation in the council’s standing in terms of its rating by watchdog the Audit Commission.

It also achieved Investors in People at Gold standard at first accreditation which the authority says was the only time a public or private sector organisation ever achieved such a feat.

Mr Barrow is no stranger to the Second City though as he spent six years in Birmingham during the 1990s as a senior surveyor, having studied surveying for five years at Birmingham City University.

It is perhaps not unsurprising then that his lasting legacy in the North Staffordshire borough will be that of someone who strived to improve regeneration in the area.

Phil Corrigan, Newcastle chief reporter with The Sentinel newspaper, told TheBusinessDesk.com: “I would say regeneration is the main thing – there have been various projects going on since he has been here.

“In particular, the Guild Hall building was brought back into use as a customer service centre for Newcastle Borough Council – it had started to fall apart. I imagine he would want to stay and see projects through such as the new swimming pool in Newcastle.”

Mr Corrigan added: “The last three years have been quite a stable period for Newcastle and things generally have improved. People seem to be reasonably happy with its performance and he has been part of that.

“But it’s been known that Mark has been looking to move on for a while so it’s not come as a total shock that he is leaving to most people. Ideally, people in Newcastle would like to see an internal appointment but that’s probably not very likely.”

Mr Barrow has previously held posts at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, where he was deputy chief executive, and Gloucestershire County Council, where he was head of capital and programmes.