Agency chief to take council reins

Mr Riordan, who has been with the regional development agency for more than a decade, will join England's second biggest metropolitan council in the autumn and could earn up to 196,000.

The appointment still needs to be formally approved at a meeting of the council next Wednesday. He will take over from Paul Rogerson who is retiring later this year.

Coun Andrew Carter, joint leader, said: "Our current chief executive has been at the helm for a number of years now and under his leadership this council has flourished.

"Despite the challenges ahead, I am confident Tom will make his own mark on the authority and deliver the ambitions we aspire to.

"His enthusiasm and passion for Leeds came across clearly at interview."

A committee of senior councillors representing the five political groups across Leeds unanimously agreed to recommend Mr Riordan for the job yesterday afternoon.

He has declined to comment until the process is formally concluded next week.

The Government gave him the task of setting up the Regional Development Agency in 1997 and he has since championed the region's response to climate change, including a Carbon Capture and Storage Partnership that would reduce UK carbon emissions by 10 per cent and create 50,000 jobs.

Coun Richard Brett, joint leader said: "Tom Riordan will bring a wealth of experience to the job at Leeds from his role at Yorkshire Forward."

PASTURES NEW FOR GREEN CHAMPION

Tom Riordan was born and educated in Northallerton and graduated with a Modern History honours degree from Trinity College, Oxford in 1989.

After gaining a first-class Masters in Business Administration at Imperial College, London, he returned to Yorkshire in 1997 with the task of setting up the regional development agency.

He has since championed the region's response to climate change and last month he was named Green Champion at the 2010 Yorkshire Post Environment Awards.