Cheshire East Council has announced the appointment of Phil Cresswell as executive director for place.

The place directorate includes services such as highways, waste and recycling, planning, transport and parking, economic development and many other place-based services. 

Mr Cresswell will start at the council on 2 December 2024, having previously worked as executive director forregeneration, housing and environmental services at London Borough of Hounslow and, before that, at Stoke-on-Trent City Council as director of housing, regeneration and growth. 

An unverified source of the job listing from July suggests the salary for this role is up to £145,193 per annum. However, the new hire's salary has not been confirmed to Macclesfield Nub News.

Rob Polkinghorne, chief executive of Cheshire East Council, said: "I would like to welcome Phil to Cheshire East and look forward to working with him as he leads the council's place-based services. 

"Phil brings with him a wealth of experience as a senior leader and he joins us at a critical time for the organisation,as we embark on an ambitious programme of whole-organisation transformation and improvement." 

According to a Cheshire East document, 23 applications were received for the role.

Mr Cresswell said: "Cheshire East is a great place with huge potential. I am looking forward to joining the council and meeting and working with staff, councillors and partners, to make a real difference for residents and business in the borough. 

"The council delivers some great services and has some significant infrastructure projects and investment opportunities in the pipeline. I also recognise that, in common with many other local authorities, the council is facing significant financial pressure and needs to change radically over the next few years. 

"This presents a great opportunity to do things differently and to maximise the economic potential of the borough to improve outcomes for Cheshire East residents, our communities, our businesses and our environment."