Steve is Chief Executive Officer of Torus, a dynamic growth and regeneration group with deep roots in the Liverpool City Region and Cheshire. With a portfolio of some 40,000 homes, Torus is the North West’s largest stock-holding affordable homes provider and also has a large development pipeline.

A passionate advocate for high-quality and affordable housing, Steve is responsible for Torus’ overall strategic direction, performance and development.

Prior to joining Torus, he led Liverpool Mutual Homes for 10 years as Chief Executive and spearheaded the creation of a strong, diversified and award-winning housing group with a distinct social purpose.

Cllr Hitesh Patel is Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Growth and Quality Work, with responsibility for business development and investment, economic development at local and sub-regional levels, town centre and district centre management, regeneration, good quality jobs and careers, the late-night economy, and engagement with key economic sectors. With over a decade of dedicated public service, Cllr Patel plays an active role in shaping the borough’s economic future. A long-standing resident and committed volunteer, he brings deep local knowledge, 

Stephen Hunter Director of Place (Transport, Planning and Property), leads on transport infrastructure, development management and local planning policy, property and estates, and broader urban planning and property strategy.  Plays a key role in shaping Warrington’s strategic built environment vision.

Eleanor Blackburn Director of Place (Community Services and Economy), leads on inclusive economic growth, town-centre regeneration, housing, leisure, culture, operations, commercial services, and public protection ensuring place-based investments deliver tangible benefits for businesses and communities.

Having graduated with an economics degree from the University of Manchester, Stephen initially worked in manufacturing for De La Rue before spending 20 years in and around economic development. This included the North West Development Agency, Make UK and Warrington & Co.

Responsible for business engagement at Warrington Council’s economic and regeneration division, he is also on secondment at the local Chamber of Commerce, supporting members with their exporting activities. Stephen’s overall objective is to help grow the Warrington economy by attracting capital investment, thereby creating new jobs and safeguarding existing ones.

Josh is the Executive Development Director at Langtree, which forms the private sector partner to the Wire Regeneration a joint venture with Warrington Borough Council. The JV was established to bring forward the regeneration of the Southern Gateway of the Town Centre.

Josh, is the Project Lead for the Digital Enterprise Hub and is supported by a number of senior Langtree property and development colleagues. The project is being delivered by Wire Regeneration and is utilising the allocated the Warrington Town Deal Funding. The Digital Enterprise Hub will be incorporated within the existing St James Business Centre on Wilderspool Causeway and will be delivered to attract digital focussed companies to Warrington. The Digital Enterprise Hub will supplement wider refurbishment proposals of the St James Business Centre which are being delivered to support SME’s businesses.

Lucy is the Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (WHH). 

She started her career 19 years ago as an NHS General Management Trainee, gaining a Masters degree in health and social care leadership and management. In the 19 years she has held a number of operational management roles within the NHS and subsequently, in her role at EY and most recently as Director of Strategy and Partnerships at WHH, led large scale change programmes to deliver significant financial, quality and performance benefits predominantly within healthcare. Highlights include; leading the introduction of the support time recovery worker role into mental health services; leading a £3.6m project to install the first intra-operative scanner in a paediatric setting in the UK and Europe; leading the transfer of paediatric services from an acute to a community setting; directing a project for disadvantaged pregnant teenagers in Peru; and leading the support to the merger of two large acute Trusts.

At WHH Lucy has led the development and delivery of the Trust’s strategy, as well as leading key strategic programmes, including planning for new hospitals and delivering the Halton Health Hub within Runcorn Shopping City.

Lucy is committed to developing others and to working in partnership with a wide range of organisations and individuals to not only deliver outstanding healthcare but also to enable wider regeneration.

Lucy is the lead for the Living Well Hub project within the Town Deal Programme.

Principal and CEO of Warrington and Vale Royal College since 2015, Nichola is a skilled and determined leader in Further Education, with expansive, sectoral knowledge and professional experience spanning 29 years. Nichola is values-driven and customer-focused with a demonstrable track record of achievement.  A passionate advocate of further education and life-long learning as inclusive and transformative, Nichola has a strong belief in the development of skills as the bedrock of economic growth.

Steve Park Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service at Warrington Borough Council. With over two decades of executive experience in local government and a background in finance, IT, and business transformation, Steve began his Warrington tenure in 2010 and notably served as Director of Growth and Executive Director of Place and also led Warrington & Co., the town’s regeneration partnership, and steered major investment programmes including the Time Square redevelopment driving investment and creating thousands of jobs. On the town board, Steve brings strategic leadership, deep knowledge of public-private collaboration, and proven track record in place-making, growth and transformation. His expertise aligns board-level strategy with operational delivery across economic development, planning, investment, and regeneration.

Dave is the CEO and one of the founders of WDP, a user led charity founded in 1991. He is passionate about accessibility and equality. With over 40yrs experience in the VCSE sector, he has led the development of services from inception to international recognition. In 2015, he retired from a 20-year career in the NHS, 10 years as the Assistant Director of Inclusion & Partnerships, returning to the NHS in 2021 as an Associate None Executive Director at Warrington and Halton NHS Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

He has chaired/presented at conferences in the UK & Europe on a wide range of disability matters including inclusive design, independent living and peer led support. He has presented lectures/training to over 60,000 staff from statutory, private AND VCSE sector.

His role is to lead Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington towards its vision to make Cheshire and Warrington the healthiest, most sustainable, inclusive and growing economy in the UK.  Prior to joining Cheshire and Warrington, Philip was a Civil Servant, most recently as the Director for Local Economies at DCLG.

His background is as an Economist and his Civil Service career has included serving as the Principal Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minster and working on issues such as the sale of the Millennium Dome to create the O2 Arena, renegotiation of the contract to build the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now HS1), the establishment of Enterprise Zones and overall responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in England.

Sarah Hall is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Warrington South, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. Prior to becoming an MP Sarah was a Warrington Borough Council councillor and cabinet member for children’s services.

Cllr Jean Flaherty, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for children, families and education – responsible for safeguarding children, children’s social care, corporate parenting, fostering and adoption, schools and partnerships, children’s centres, early help, reducing child poverty, skills and higher education, youth services and SEND.  

As a local resident herself, Cllr Flaherty understands the unique challenges and opportunities facing the town. Her first-hand experience living and interacting within the community provides valuable insights into the daily lives, concerns, and aspirations of Warrington residents. Cllr Flaherty advocates for initiatives that address the needs of the community, supporting projects which boost economic development and championing those which enhance community services and contribute to the overall well-being and prosperity of Warrington.

Cllr Nathan Sudworth, Cabinet Member for organisation, innovation and co-operation – responsible for communications, customer contact, public consultation and partnership, policy development, devolution, democratic services/elections/democracy, external relations/civic relationships, human relations, personnel and staffing, digitalisation, service transformation, union relationships, code of conduct, and the youth council.