Newcastle announces new director of resources

Newcastle City Council has announced the name of its new director of resources, taking over from Paul Woods who is leaving the council after more than 30 years service.
Tony Kirkham, currently director of strategic finance at Nottingham City Council, is expected to take up his new job in April.
Both Nottingham and Newcastle were among just three councils granted ring-fenced tax increment finance (TIF) powers by central government in July 2012.
Newcastle’s chief executive Pat Ritchie said: “These are exciting times in Newcastle as we transform the city with a £450m capital investment programme making the role of Director of Resources absolutely pivotal.
“Tony has overseen some big capital projects in Nottingham, so I am delighted we have appointed him and look forward to working with him.”
She paid tribute to Woods as an “outstanding” director of finance who had helped transform the skyline of Newcastle.
Woods, who also served as a finance advisor to the Association of North East Councils, is planning to take time off before considering options for future part time roles, the council said this week.
Kirkham, who grew up in Newcastle, joined Nottingham City Council as a trainee accountant in 1988, before working in finance roles including head of finance for the social services department.
In 1999, he was seconded to the NHS as director of finance and procurement at Rushcliffe Primary Care Trust before returning to the council as assistant director of finance in 2000.
In 2008 he became Nottingham’s director of strategic finance.
He said: “Although of course I will very much miss Nottingham, I’m looking forward to returning to my home city of Newcastle, and excited to build on the great work being done to develop a co-operative council through partnership and joint working, maximising the potential of a great city and a great area.”