Bury Gets Its First Female Chief Executive
Bury Council is set to make history by appointing its first permanent female chief executive, Lynne Ridsdale. The employment panel has agreed her appointment, with full council expected to rubber-stamp it tomorrow (Wednesday 7 Dec).
From Deputy Chief Exec to Top Job
Lynne Ridsdale currently serves as the council’s deputy chief executive. She will succeed Geoff Little OBE, who is stepping down after four years at the helm and a whopping 40 years of public service. Alongside her new role, Lynne takes over as the place-based lead for Bury’s Health and Care Partnership, the successor to Bury NHS CCG.
Experienced Leader with a Bold Vision
- Lynne joined Bury Council in 2018, arriving from Manchester City Council where she was director of HR and organisational development.
- Her past roles include the same post at the National Crime Agency and assistant director at Bolton Council.
- In Bury, she heads the ‘corporate core’ covering HR, legal, IT, communications, customer service, and culture.
- She spearheaded Bury’s 2030 shared vision, LET’S Do It, focusing on building strong community teams and hubs—crucial during the Covid lockdowns.
- Since 2017, Lynne has also acted as a peer reviewer with the Local Government Association, helping other councils improve services.
Council Leader Praises New Appointment
“I am delighted that Lynne is set to become our new chief executive. Her work as deputy chief has shown she has the drive, talent and experience to lead improvements in council and NHS services, ensuring our borough is in the best place to flourish. And now the first substantive female chief executive for Bury.” – Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Leader of Bury Council
O’Brien highlighted priorities including regenerating town centres, boosting the economy, tackling deprivation and health inequalities, and raising skills.
He also paid tribute to outgoing chief Geoff Little:
“I’d like to thank Geoff for doing a tremendous job as chief executive, bringing together the council and local NHS commissioning, and leading our response to the Covid pandemic and unprecedented financial challenges. I wish him the very best in his retirement after 45 years of public service.”
Lynne’s Vision for Bury
The new chief exec said:
“I’m looking forward to taking up my new post and continuing the journey to make Bury the best place to live, work, study, and do business. Central to this is working closely with partners and residents to sustain a thriving borough we can all be proud of.”
