Cheshire East recruits director of place
Phil Cresswell has been appointed to replace Jayne Traverse, who left the council a year ago.
Cheshire East Council has been without a permanent director of place since October 2023 when Traverse, who held the role for two years, departed.
Peter Skates has been filling in on an interim basis but will hand over the reins to Cresswell in December.
Cresswell has joined Cheshire East as executive director of place having spent the last year as director of regeneration at the London Borough of Hounslow.
Before that, he spent almost six years as director of housing development and economic growth at Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
At Cheshire East, Cresswell will oversee the council’s highways, waste and recycling, planning, transport and parking, economic development, and other place-based services.
Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of Cheshire East Council, said: “I would like to welcome Phil to Cheshire East and look forward to working with him as he leads the council’s place-based services.
“Phil brings with him a wealth of experience as a senior leader and he joins us at a critical time for the organisation, as we embark on an ambitious programme of whole-organisation transformation and improvement.”
“Cheshire East is a great place with huge potential,” he said. “The council delivers some great services and has some significant infrastructure projects and investment opportunities in the pipeline.”
He added: “I also recognise that, in common with many other local authorities, the council is facing significant financial pressure and needs to change radically over the next few years.
“This presents a great opportunity to do things differently and to maximise the economic potential of the borough to improve outcomes for Cheshire East residents, our communities, our businesses and our environment.”
Good luck. You’ll need it. The council’s plan to make £100m savings isn’t working. It’s just announced a further £25million+ predicted overspend for this year. As a local resident I despair!
By Cheshire Fleeced
This council should be abolished it’s not fit for purpose maccelsfield and surouding areas neglect is a disgrace to council tax payers closed our local bollington. Poynton and Middlewich refuse centres our roads are a disgrace the amount of money wasted on traffic management it’s time maccelsfield broke away from this badly run corrupt council maccelsfield people sick and tiered of this council which spends most council tax payers money around crewe bring back our local councils for local people we should have a vote on this
By Anonymous
Could we have that in plain English please?What the hell do we need a director of place for? What a total waste of our money
By Anonymous
If Cheshire East delivers “great services” why close local recycling centres,forcing people to travel out of their towns to visit other recycling centres get rid of their waste thereby creating more pollution and traffic congestion.
By Anonymous
Will give him a chance but not going to hold my breath, a team is only as good as it’s worst player and there is plenty of candidates for that role at Cheshire East.
By David Walley
@Anon The reason is that all councils have borne the brunt of austerity and have been forced by central government to make huge cuts over the last 10 years whilst the costs of certain services that they are obliged to provide by law such as social care have gone through the roof. No wonder other parts of their service provision are looking threadbare – any anger should be dropped squarely at the door of the government minister (the previous government ).
By Anonymous
We need a statistician, who knows how to save money, and work out the best way, a person who can add up, not a director of place. What a waste of our money.
By Flo owen
Never believe any comments submitted by @anon.
By @anon