Bury Council appoints interim chief executive

One of Bury Council’s most senior officers has been appointed interim chief executive following the retirement of Mike Kelly.

Mike Owen, currently executive director of resource and regulation, will take charge in March for a six-month period while a permanent successor is sought.

Mike has been with Bury Council since 1986, starting as deputy group accountant. He also served as chief financial services officer on coming back from a one-year stint at Oldham Council in 1999 where he was deputy treasurer.

He previously worked with the NHS in the North West Regional Authority in 1979 as a finance trainee, before joining Trafford Council in 1984.

Mr Owen is the current president of CIPFA, the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy, the world's top public sector finance organisation.

Mike (aged 53) said: “It is a huge honour to be appointed as interim chief executive. We face a huge number of challenges in Bury, not least of which is the need to find a further £16 million in cuts from our budget, but I will be doing my very best to make sure that Bury remains a great place in which to live, work and study. I also want to pay tribute to Mike Kelly who has done an outstanding job as chief executive and I wish him the very best for his retirement.”

Mr Owen’s appointment was made by the council’s human resources and appeals panel which met yesterday (Thursday 22 January).

Councillor Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: “I’m sure Mike will do a fantastic job as interim chief executive and look forward to working closely with him in the months to come.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 23 January 2015.

Picture attached: Mike Owen.