David Sidaway set to return to Telford & Wrekin Council as Chief Executive

David Sidaway is set to return to Telford & Wrekin Council as the authority’s new chief executive.

David grew up in Telford and began his career with the then Wrekin District Council, was chosen today as preferred candidate for the Chief Executive role by a panel of councillors. His appointment is subject to ratification by the Council at its meeting on 19 September.

He joins from Stoke-on-Trent City Council where he has held the equivalent City Director post for the last four years.

David was a director at Telford & Wrekin Council before he left to join the Stoke-on-Trent authority in early 2015, initially as Director of Place.

In Stoke-on-Trent, he has helped create the city’s Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone one of the country’s fastest growing enterprise zones, which has secured 2,000 new jobs in its first two years. He has also helped to lead the city centre Smithfield development, which has seen more than 400 jobs created at Grade A office accommodation and is currently seeing the completion of high-end city living apartments and a Hilton Garden Inn hotel. David has been instrumental in changing national attitudes towards Stoke-on-Trent to make it a place known for its ambition and aspiration.

At Telford & Wrekin, he was the driving force behind Telford centre’s transformation through the £250 million private and public sector Southwater development.

He was also instrumental in the Council attracting the MoD Logistics Fulfilment Centre to Donnington, safeguarding hundreds of jobs when the centre looked set to move to Oxfordshire, and working to secure one of the biggest direct foreign investments in the UK in the last decade, the new Magna automotive parts plant on the T54 business site, which is creating 300 new jobs.

He also oversaw rationalisation of the Council’s offices, reducing this from over 20 different sites to three core locations, saving the Council £2 million a year, and setting up the Council’s private housing company Nuplace which has so far built over 330 new rental homes in the borough mainly on brownfield land.

Council leader Shaun Davies said: “We are delighted that David has chosen to rejoin us. He already has a proven track record of success here and is the right person to help drive forward our plans for the borough and Council for the next four years to protect, care and invest to create a better borough.

“The cross party panel were very clear that David is an excellent candidate. Subject to Full Council’s confirmation, we look forward to him starting work with us this winter. We all feel David can really help to push the borough further forward on a regional and national level.”

David will be paid an annual salary of £155,000, which includes payments for local returning officer duties.

He is expected to start in his new role during the winter. In the interim, Jonathan Rowe Director of Customer, Neighbourhood and Well-being services, will continue to be the Council’s Chief Operating Officer.