Oldham appoints director of economy
Paul Clifford will focus on delivering the local authority’s £285m Creating a Better Place programme, which calls for the building of more than 2,000 homes in the town centre.
Clifford joins Oldham Council as the director of economy from Barnsley Council, where he was the head of economic development for more than five years.
At Oldham, he will be part of executive director for place and economic growth Emma Barton’s team.
Clifford’s portfolio will include planning, property and assets, regeneration, and housing.
Regarding his new job, Clifford said: “The importance of placemaking, getting new homes built for our residents, and delivering the town centre redevelopment plans to create new job opportunities are critical to ensure the potential within the borough is realised.
“These innovative and transformative growth plans are going to drive Oldham forward and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Oldham Council leader Cllr Amanda Chadderton said she was looking forward to working with Clifford.
“It’s a really exciting time for Paul to be joining Oldham Council with all of the forward-thinking plans in place to boost the local economy and establish new homes for generations to come.”
Want to learn more about Oldham’s plans for the future? Leader Cllr Amanda Chadderton is speaking at Place North West‘s Greater Manchester Development Update event on 8 September. Tickets are still available.
The daft ideas about building 2000+ apartments in Oldham centre and of attracting new “High Tech” industry to Oldham centre to drive the Borough’s economic growth have previously been commented on by many others under previous articles. These themes have been circulating for 40 to 50 years and never happen because they are a complete non-starter, yet they still keep getting churned up time and again leaving Oldham stuck in the mire and failing to progress. The reality is that businesses and people have been for a long time and are continuing to get out of Oldham centre. Time will tell yet again, but I am afraid this is just a case of being seen to go through the motions with this appointment.
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