Oldham chief executive to retire 

Harry Catherall is to leave the authority before the end of 2023 after two years as head of paid service, sparking a hunt for his replacement. 

Catherall came out of retirement to join Oldham Council in August 2021 on an interim basis following the departure of former chief executive Carolyn Wilkins. 

He was then given the role on a permanent basis and had his term extended for another three years in January 2023. 

However, he will not serve out that term, opting to retire at the end of this year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

Speaking to LDRS, newly reinstalled council leader Arooj Shah said Catherall had been “an amazing servant” to Oldham during a time of instability following the pandemic. 

Catherall has worked in local government for 40 years, including roles at Blackburn with Darwen and St Helens Council. 

His achievements include reducing spending in Blackburn by 40% and the creation of a council-wide delivery plan for St Helens.  

During his time at Blackburn, the borough won the MJ Awards’ Local Authority of the Year title.