‘Cash-strapped’ NWDA advertises 30 job vacancies
The powerful North West Development Agency, which is currently trying to trim £50m from its £1bn budget over the next two years, is not reducing staff levels as part of its measures.
The government ordered the country's regional development agencies to reduce their budgets last autumn in order to divert cash to housing market initiatives such as Home Buy Direct.
The NWDA, responsible for implementing the Government's economic development policy in the region, is reducing its budget by funding fewer regeneration projects.
The agency's chief executive Steven Broomhead earned a salary of £190,000 in 2007/08 and spent a further £2,000 on expenses. A spokesman for the agency said it employs 474 people and that figure is not increasing. He added: "The jobs advertised are a mix of new and existing but we have been restructuring internally to ensure we are fit for purpose given the economic conditions and priorities."
A lengthy list of current vacancies – combined salary around £1m – at the Warrington-based quango includes:
Brokerage manager, salary £33k-£39k, based Warrington
Business development manager sectors, £38k-£44k, Warrington
Business development manager digital & creative(D&C), £38k-£44k, Warrington
Contract manager, £26k-£30k, Penrith
Contract monitoring manager, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), £26k-£30k, Warrington
Development and delivery manager sustainable consumption and production (SCP) ERDF, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Development manager, £26k-£30k, Warrington
Development manager SCP maternity cover, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Economic inclusion manager, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Head of investor development, £46k-53k, Warrington
Sector development manager bio, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Sector development manager, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Sector head financial and professional services, £52k-£60k, Warrington
Senior development manager, £29k-£34k, Manchester
Senior solicitor state aid, £38k-£44k, Warrington
Solicitor, £29k-£34k, Warrington
Strategic development manager advanced engineering and materials, £46k-£53k, Warrington
Strategic development manager D&C, £46k-£53k, Warrington
Strategy development manager skills, £38k-£44k, Warrington
Head of collaborative innovation, £46k-£53k, Warrington
RDA national evaluation manager, £38k-£44k, London
Desktop support analyst, £20k-£23k, Warrington
Management information manager, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Project appraiser ERDF, £22k-£26k, Warrington
Project co-ordinator ERDF, £22k-£26k, Warrington
Senior desktop support analyst, £22k-£26k, Warrington
Policy manager transitional partnerships and European Union policy, £33k-£39k, Warrington
Senior development manager East Lancs and West Lancs, £29k-£34k, Preston
Executive chair of 5050 Vision, no further details
Head of 5050 Vision, no further details
The latest NWDA Corporate Plan shows that the overall Single Programme Investment, the NWDA's core funding from the Government, will fall from £379.7m in 2008/09 to £276.7m by 2010/11. The agency also receives revenue from the EU, rent from its Space Northwest commercial property joint venture with Ashtenne and receipts from land sales.
