An interim top boss has been chosen to run Greater Manchester alongside mayor Bev Craig after the previous chief executive was poached to work in Number 10 North.

Andrew Lightfoot's name was put forward on Friday to step up from his job as deputy to formally become interim group chief executive at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which also includes Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

The post comes with a wage of £245,000 and serves as the GMCA's head of paid service – its most senior officer – as well as returning officer and director general of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The recommendation needs to be approved on September 25 while the search for a permanent chief begins.

Former GMCA boss Caroline Simpson stepped down in July to join Andy Burnham's team at Heron House in the Prime Minister's Manchester office, which opened an 'immediate gap' to be plugged at the Combined Authority.

Bev Craig thanked Ms Simpson for her work at the GMCA on Friday, adding: "The fact that we're looking to appoint an interim group chief executive officer demonstrates that the one that went before has gone on to do other things, and we wish her well working in Number 10 North.

"It's a really exciting moment for Greater Manchester to be able to have people that know us exceptionally well there."

The mayor said deputy chief Andrew Lightfoot 'stepped up' during a period of massive change in the region.

She said: "We've got dedicated hardworking staff here within the Combined Authority, who have been doing great things and need that certainty and continuity of leadership to be able to get through what will be a very very busy autumn, and to make sure that we weren't leaving any gaps, and we've mitigated all the risks that we can see.

"Andrew has been doing a great job as the deputy chief executive of the group, and has also stepped in and stepped up over the last six to eight with the changes that have been going on."

A 'full and proper' external recruitment process will take place to hire the GMCA's permanent chief executive, the mayor added, with the timeline due to be set out in the near future.

Andrew Lightfoot was deputy chief executive at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council before joining the GMCA, where he worked across a range of departments including regeneration and housing. He also previously worked for KPMG.

The GMCA was asked for more information about Mr Lightfoot.

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