Development director latest to quit local council

ANOTHER senior regeneration chief has quit a West Midlands local authority just three weeks after his boss resigned.

Darren Jones is to leave his post as development director with Stoke-on-Trent City Council to take up the role of assistant executive director for strategic projects and investment at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.

Mr Jones joined the council in January last year and will be responsible for property, assets and development with the Greater Manchester local authority which he joins at the end of next month.

The news comes just a few weeks after Stoke’s director of regeneration Tom Macartney (below) announced he was leaving the council and its chiefs voted to disband the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership.

The public/private sector joint body was formed in May 2007 – Mr Macartney was also its managing director – and was tasked with a £1.6bn transformation project of Stoke and North Staffs by 2030 including a new business district and shopping centre.

It was decided to discontinue with the scheme in favour of a new Local Enterprise Partnership for Stoke and Staffordshire for which proposals are currently being drafted by councils and the business community.

Mr Jones said: “I would like to thank everyone for all their support and help since I started as development director.

“It has been a privilege to be involved in advancing our important transformational projects like the University Quarter, Central Business District and the East West shopping precinct and in advancing the strategies that are both helping to promote the Stoke and North Staffordshire area that will transform it into a better place to live work and enjoy.”

Cllr Brian Ward, Stoke’s former cabinet member for regeneration, added: “I would like to thank Darren for the hard work he has done for us and his market knowledge and expertise he has provided to us.

“His experience, contacts and ability to deliver have been invaluable in progressing Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire strategic projects.

“We will be sorry to see him leave and wish him well his new role at Oldham Council.”

Hardial Bhogal, director of housing improvement agency Renew North Staffordshire, is now running the regeneration directorate.