Transport for the North leaders' row over how successor to chief executive Barry White is chosen

The chairman of the organisation setting out the North's transport vision is at odds with the region's political leaders over how its new chief executive should be appointed.

John Cridland, the independent chair of Transport for the North, told its board members he was "very disappointed" by their refusal to back his plan to choose a successor to Barry White.

Mr White has been chief executive at TfN since 2017 but announced recently that he was to leave the organisation to take a "career break" next May.

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It comes amid uncertainty over the future of Transport for the North, which was set up to transform northern transport but was described recently by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps as "a talking shop".

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Mr Shapps has set up a Northern Transport Acceleration Council, which is designed to speed up the process of delivering major projects. His department has also criticised TfN for how long it has taken to draw up its plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail, the flagship high speed rail project connecting major cities in the North.

At a meeting of TfN's board Mr Cridland, a former Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, criticised political lead for refusing to support his plan to set up an appointment panel to choose Mr White's successor.

After leaders such as Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham and Leeds city council leader Judith Blake pushed for more involvement from elected politicians, Mr Cridland said: "I'm very disappointed by the comments that have been made and I'm disappointed by the lack of support for my proposal.

John Cridland, the independent chair of Transport for the NorthJohn Cridland, the independent chair of Transport for the North
John Cridland, the independent chair of Transport for the North
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"I think as a board, if we cannot delegate effectively for an executive action of this kind, it doesn't make it very easy to make the big policy decisions that we're being asked to deal with.

"So, I'll take the matter offline and I'll discuss it with the two vice chairs, clearly it has to be a process you're comfortable with."

Mr Cridland suggested that for the panel to be representative of the board, which is made up of political and business leaders, it should consist of TfN's two vice-chairs, a representative of Local Enterprise Partnerships and someone from the Department for Transport.

But political leaders said they wanted more involvement in the appointment and that the panel should have more board members on it. Mr Burnham said: "This is a crucial appointment for us in this period that we're going into and I think it's critical that the elected representatives on this board, I'm not against other involvement, but obviously I think the decision should rest mainly with the elected numbers."

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Coun Blake backed the idea of a working group being set up but said: "I think all of us involved in local government are used to decisions being made by boards going to the full membership to be ratified, that would certainly be the position in terms of senior council appointments."

Mr Cridland said that while the appointment was by the board, "clearly you can't have 42 people making the appointment" He added: "I have to say, I would be deeply uncomfortable, as chairman if a matter of appointing the chief executive ended up being a matter of votes. In fact, that's not something I could be associated with."

It emerged earlier this year that Mr Cridland would also serve as chair of the Northern Transport Acceleration Council, which has another meeting later this month.

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