Sweeping into the top job

Mike Kelly . . . taking a cut in salary

OLDHAM’S former street sweeping chief has bagged the top job at a neighbouring council.

Mike Kelly, Oldham’s former director of operational services, has been appointed chief executive of Bury Council.

His £147,000 salary will be £13,000 less than his predecessor, former Oldham Council assistant chief executive Mark Sanders. The reduction is part of £12 million savings which the council has to make next year.

Mr Kelly joined Oldham in 1995 — once taking a day’s holiday so he could see what the town’s street-sweepers had to tackle every day.

Originally from the North-East, he was Oldham’s senior officer in charge of the response to the independent Richie Report into Oldham’s riots in 2001.

He has worked at Bury Council since June, 2002.