Hughes returns to region after London and Yorkshire sojourns

David Hughes, who left his post as Wirral Council’s director of regeneration a year ago, has been appointed interim director of economy at Oldham Council following stints at Tower Hamlets and Barnsley Council.

Hughes replaces Paul Clifford, who has left Oldham to rejoin Barnsley Council.

Clifford had spent 17 years at Barnsley in various roles before joining Oldham in 2022. He returns to the Yorkshire authority as director of regeneration and culture, the role Hughes held on an interim basis for the last six months.

Hughes is a veteran of local government and has also worked in Nottingham, Liverpool, Newham, and Stoke since the 1980s.

Hughes joins Oldham under fresh executive leadership. Shelley Kipling has been made the permanent chief executive, succeeding Harry Catherall, who was drafted in to steady the ship at Tameside Council following a spate of resignations in the wake of a damning report on its childrens’ services provision.

He also joins an authority preparing the pull the trigger on a significant resi-led town centre regeneration vision. Working with Muse, Oldham Council wants to redevelop a clutch of town centre brownfield sites to deliver 2,000 homes.

Meanwhile, the council has written to secretary of state Angela Rayner asking for permission to withdraw from Places for Everyone, the joint spatial strategy for Greater Manchester.