The process to fill the roles of City Treasurer and Director of Public Health roles is underway following announcements that long-term postholders will be leaving the Council.
The statutory appointments will be approved by the Council’s Personnel Committee next week (Wednesday 14 February).
City Treasurer
Tom Wilkinson will take up the role of City Treasurer after Carol Culley – who is also deputy chief executive - announced in January that she would be leaving the organisation in March after 23 years.
Tom has been a qualified Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) accountant since 2000, following a traineeship with the City of York Council.
While in York, he worked for Children’s Services and supported the delivery of the York School Private Finance Initiative (PFI), before moving into corporate capital programmes, treasury management and technical accounting roles.
Tom relocated to Dorset in 2008 where he initially worked as Treasurer to Wiltshire Probation Trust; before moving back into Local Government in 2011 working for Councils in Dorset where he supported Housing, Economy and Regeneration departments as well as Children’s Services and Pensions and Investments roles. He managed the £3bn Dorset County Pension Fund before relocating to Greater Manchester in 2017.
Tom has since held the position of Deputy S.151 Officer at Tameside Council, working with the joint health finance team. He then joined Manchester City Council in 2021 taking up the role of Deputy City Treasurer helping to lead and develop the finance offer at the Council.
To note, this new City Treasurer role will be a dedicated finance role covering Finance, Procurement, Commercial Governance and Audit and Risk Management.
The process to appoint to the role of Deputy Chief Executive will now begin.
Tom Wilkinson said:
“There is no secret about the challenges facing local government, to balance our budget and continue to deliver the necessary services for our residents. The role of City Treasurer has rarely been tested as much and is critical to our city's ongoing success. I take up this role with a huge amount of pride and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Manchester.”
Director of Public Health
Dr Cordelle Ofori has been appointed to the role of Director of Public Health for Manchester, taking up position from David Regan who is leaving the organisation after 35 years working in health positions in Manchester.
Dr Ofori is currently Deputy Director of Public Health at the City Council. She grew up in Manchester before qualifying as a doctor at the University of Nottingham. She then practiced as a GP at several inner London practices, later choosing to specialise in public health medicine.
It was this first-hand experience of health inequality, combined with charitable roles, which inspired a passion for improving health equity and outcomes for marginalised communities.
Dr Ofori led the city’s Covid-19 testing systems and helped develop a bespoke approach for its diverse communities around vaccines and safety measures.
The learning taken from the pandemic, along with the community networks and connections it created, have become the foundations for a city-wide action plan led by her to tackle health inequalities across Manchester. Making Manchester Fairer is a five-year action plan that also incorporates the city’s anti-poverty strategy.
Dr Cordelle Ofori said:
“The global pandemic showed us the importance of our public health teams to help guide our communities through times of crisis, but it also highlighted the significant inequities that exist in our communities.
I want to make sure that everyone can enjoy the benefits of this great city, improving the health and life opportunities for our residents. I am passionate about listening to our communities and understand what is important to them – particularly those voices that are not always heard.
“Good health is the cornerstone of well-being and prosperity and I have seen first-hand through my time in Public Health the positive impact of our work. It will be an honour to continue the legacy of my predecessors to improve and protect health in the city of Manchester.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“These two positions play an exceptionally important role in the well-being of our Council and that of our residents. After many years of stewardship from long-term officers of our Council, I welcome Tom and Cordelle to these positions with confidence that they will meet the key challenges that face them to balance our budget and ensure the health of our city.”
Joanne Roney CBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said:
"These statutory positions within the Council are integral to the leadership and direction of travel for Manchester. Tom and Cordelle both have an intimate understanding – and of the challenges – their respective roles play in our city. Both will take a role within our Senior Management Team and I am delighted that we have been able to promote from within the talented workforce we have at the Council. I look forward to working with Tom and Cordelle to address the challenges ahead.”