Wirral appoints interim regen director
Marc Cole will fill the role on a temporary basis when David Hughes steps down this month.
Cole is currently the interim regeneration advisor at Stockton-on-Tees Council and has extensive experience in the public sector, having worked at more than 10 local authorities during his career.
His only other North West job was a three-and-a-half-year stint as head of regeneration at St Helens Council between 2001 and 2004.
Since then he has been a director in Oxford, Sutton, Aberdeen, Calderdale, and at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The interim nature of the Wirral job will suit Cole. Since 2018, he has taken on seven temporary roles across the country.
Cole will become Wirral’s fourth regen lead in 18 months.
Since Alan Evans left to job to join Homes England in August 2022, Sally Shah and Hughes have both had stints heading up the division.
Hughes joined Wirral Council as director of regeneration and place in early 2023 from Newham Council.
He was appointed to oversee the authority’s huge pipeline of projects, including the revitalisation of Birkenhead town centre.
His departure follows that of other individuals within Wirral’s property and regeneration teams in recent months including Cathy Palmer, Keith Keeley, and Damian Cooke.
