Former Trafford leader joins lobbying firm
Matthew Colledge, former leader of Trafford Council, has joined Lexington Communications in Manchester as a director to advise developers on how to steer projects through the devolution policy landscape.
Colledge stepped down as a councillor and leader in March 2014 to spend more time with his young family and was replaced as leader of Conservative-controlled Trafford by Cllr Sean Anstee. Colledge led the local authority for five years.
Colledge is chairman of NHS Trafford Clinical Commissioning Group and advisor to Greater Manchester Police. He was founding vice chairman of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and chairman of TfGM’s predecessor, Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority.
Colledge said: “Lexington has a fantastic reputation for sharp, insightful political knowledge. I’m looking forward to advising businesses on the emerging regional devolution agenda to both benefit the economic development of the region and find new opportunities for growth.”
Paul Boyfield, managing director of Lexington Communications North, said: “Matthew has vast knowledge of the political landscape and played an influential role in forming the City Deal for Manchester and championing devolution. His wealth of experience and insight into the machinery of local government including health, transport and planning will be hugely valuable to our current and new clients as we grow and expand as the North West’s biggest public affairs agency.”
Prior to this Colledge ran his own construction company, Colcon, working for United Utilities, BMW and IBM among others.
Lexington employs 13 people in its Manchester office on Spring Gardens.