Manchester’s deputy chief exec steps down  

Carol Culley, the city council’s deputy chief executive and city treasurer, is leaving the organisation after 23 years to focus on her role as a government-appointed commissioner at Woking Council. 

Culley, who has served as treasurer since 2016 and also as deputy chief executive since 2018, has been serving as a government-appointed commissioner alongside her work for Manchester City Council since May.  

She was appointed as one of three commissioners – a fourth has since been nominated – to carry out an intervention into Woking Council, which went bust last year with a £1.2bn deficit. 

A Manchester City Council statement said that the “challenges she is addressing in her ongoing commissioner role are nationally important for the local government sector and will require significant input to navigate”.   

Culley will also shortly be beginning a year as president of the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy, which aims to improve public services by raising standards in finance 

Leader of Manchester City Council Cllr Bev Craig said: “Carol has dedicated the biggest part of her career to Manchester and throughout that period we have witnessed her passion for the city, her dedication and leadership in our budget setting, spending and investments.   

“It is a credit to her and also her work here that she is undertaking these national roles and we wish her the very best for the future.”  

Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, Joanne Roney added: “Carol has had a fantastic career in Manchester, and it is a sign of how well she is respected and her levels of success that firstly the government appointed her as commissioner and secondly that she will be the president of CIPFA.  

“Balancing the finances in a city like Manchester, with a gross budget of more than £1.5bn a year is no easy task, and she has done that with dedication, commitment and a passion for the city.”  

“It has been fantastic to work with her since I joined as chief executive and she is a key part of our senior management team and all the major work the council does. While I will miss her greatly on a personal level, I am looking forward to continuing to work with her in her new national role.”  

Culley said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time at Manchester City Council and I’m fortunate to have worked with many brilliant colleagues and councillors over the years.  

“It will be a wrench to leave but these are opportunities that I don’t want to turn down and it feels like this is the right time to move on and begin another chapter.” 

• Hear Culley speak about how GMCA is approaching the issue of energy on Place North West’s podcast – LISTEN