Senior Leadership Team

Managing Director, Ben Still

This role is designated as the Head of Paid Service for the Combined Authority with overall responsibility for the management and coordination of the officer body of the Authority, including ensuring that the Authority has the appropriate level of resources and capabilities required to discharge the Authority’s functions. The Managing Director leads a senior team of Directors in providing leadership and vision for the Authority. In particular, the Managing Director is responsible for coordinating strategy, development and delivery with Members of the Authority, the Local Enterprise Partnership and partner councils to ensure that the Authority’s corporate priorities are actively progressed and its objectives delivered on time and effectively to meet the requirements of the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership and to deliver on the aspirations for West Yorkshire and York.

Director of Corporate and Commercial Services, Angela Taylor

Angela is responsible for leading and directing the delivery of all corporate services including Legal and Governance Services, Human Resources, ICT, Finance, Business Planning and Health and Safety, and to act as the statutory Section 73 Financial Officer for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Director of Strategy, Communications and Policing, Alan Reiss

Alan is responsible for cross-cutting strategy, corporate and mayoral communications, analysis and evidence, and the Mayor’s Policing and Crime Commissioner functions.

Interim Director of Policy and Development, Liz Hunter

Liz is responsible for the development of economic, transport, and environmental policies and programmes for West Yorkshire.

Director of Transport Services, Dave Pearson

Dave is responsible for leading and directing the development and delivery of all transport services.

Director of Delivery, Melanie Corcoran

Melanie is responsible for defining, developing and implementing all programme and project processes for the Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Director of Economic Services, Brian Archer

Brian is responsible for providing strategic leadership on the delivery of all economic services - skills and employment, business growth/competitiveness, and international trade and investment.

Interim Director of Mass Transit, Kevin Murray

The Combined Authority in collaboration with partner councils published the West Yorkshire mass transit vision in January 2021, which offers a new bold and ambitious public transport option for West Yorkshire. Two weeks ago the Government confirmed the £830m ‘City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement’ for West Yorkshire, which included over £100m for developing the mass transit programme.

Over the coming months, Kevin will lead the initial stages of the Mass Transit programme, including the ‘mobilisation’ of the team needed to do the work, and the next phase of the business case work required by the Government.

Monitoring Officer, Caroline Allen

This role is filled by Caroline Allen, Head of Legal and Governance Services

This is a statutory appointment responsible for reporting to the Combined Authority in any case where they are of the opinion that any proposal, decision or omission of the Authority, its committees or subcommittees or anyone employed by the Authority is, or is likely to be, illegal or to constitute maladministration. The Monitoring Officer also has a range of functions relating to the conduct of members including responsibility for the register of members and officers interests and responsibility for the suite of governance documents of the Authority. The Monitoring Officer is also the Head of Legal and Governance and is responsible for ensuring that the service delivers high quality and effective legal advice and committee support to the Authority.

The Monitoring Officer can be reached by email here or in writing at: 

Monitoring Officer 
Legal and Governance Services
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Wellington House
40-50 Wellington Street
Leeds
LS1 2DE