Outgoing Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan will be hard to replace

During his 14 years there, Leeds has become a truly global city. Its potential as an economic force is now being realised. People need only look up at the Leeds skyline to see countless cranes working on new developments.

Mr Riordan deserves credit for seeing the bigger picture working in collaboration with other towns and cities across Yorkshire for the benefit of the region.

He played an important role in ensuring the doors were open to milestone events such as the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2014 and the Tour de Yorkshire that followed.

The crowning achievement of his tenure has to be bringing Channel 4 to the city. A move that established Leeds as a major player in the creative and digital industries.

Of course, it has not all been plain sailing. Mr Riordan will be the first to admit frustration at the lack of progress on a mass transit system for the city and wider region in the 14 years he has been chief executive. There was also the hammer blow of the Northern leg of HS2 being cancelled. Leaving Leeds’ transport network lagging behind.

Despite this, Mr Riordan leaves the council with the city now of the same calibre as Manchester.

His departure will leave a major hole for the council to fill. With concerns around local government funding, good luck to whoever takes on the role. They will be faced with the unenviable task of managing a council that has to juggle key priorities.