Mayor of West Yorkshire appoints anti-poverty advisor as her Chief of Staff

30 June 2021

Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire has appointed Mike Hawking, who is Head of Policy and Partnerships at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, as her chief of staff within the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.  

Mike has worked extensively on inclusive growth policies and the Government’s COVID-19 response. He has previously worked in the affordable housing sector and was lead advisor to the directly elected Mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham. He starts at the end of July 2021. 

Tracy said: “I am delighted to appoint Mike as my Chief of Staff, who will help ensure that my pledges to the people of West Yorkshire to create 1,000 new sustainable jobs, help support a fair, just and lasting economic recovery from the pandemic, deliver 5,000 more affordable homes, improve bus services and bring more public control, improve inclusivity, put women’s and girl’s safety at the heart of the police and crime plan for West Yorkshire, and work to reach the 2038 net zero carbon targets for West Yorkshire are achieved.” 

Ben Still, Managing Director of the Combined Authority, said: “Mike will be a welcome addition to the team, and his expertise in championing inclusive growth, combined with experience in local government and third sector organisations will be invaluable. Mike will head our Mayoral Office, and will work across the range of partnerships needed to deliver the Mayor’s pledges.”