Harry Catherall gets MBE

A Greater Manchester council boss has been recognised with an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

Harry Catherall, Tameside’s chief executive and the former interim CEO of Oldham council has been awarded the title, which recognises extraordinary service to the community, for his ‘outstanding contribution to public service’. 

Mr Catherall has spent more than 45 years in public service, starting as a 16-year-old apprentice at Tameside Council and putting off his retirement for more than five years to support various crisis-ridden authorities across the region. 

Catherall said: “I am a lifelong resident of Tameside, born in Newton, Hyde and attended Flowery Field infant, junior and senior schools. I was aware of ‘THE COUNCIL’ from a very early age, my mum spoke of the considerable support we got as a family, including the house we lived in. She inspired me to think about a career in Public Service and was so proud when I joined the council straight from school.

“It’s a privilege to work alongside talented, dedicated and passionate people who are fully focused on changing their lives for the better and I am absolutely delighted to be honoured with an MBE. I thank Oldham for the nomination, and everyone for their very kind words.”

Catherall is known best for his recent interim role at Oldham Council, where council staff claim he kickstarted a ‘council reset’ and change in culture between employees and members of the public.

He oversaw a rapid improvement of children’s services after they were deemed ‘borderline inadequate’ by Ofsted in 2019, and the start of numerous regeneration projects including the 15-year partnership with city developers Muse. 

But his meteoric path into the public sector started when he was just a teen. Aged just 16, he joined a council apprenticeship scheme at Tameside, juggling evening classes at Manchester Polytechnic to qualify as an accountant with his full-time job. 

After nine years at Tameside, and a further nine at Stockport, Catherall flew the Greater Manchester nest for a 22-year term at Blackburn with Darwen, where he climbed the ranks to CEO. 

After 40 years of service, the dedicated public servant intended to enjoy an early retirement. But the Local Government Association (LGA), a national body for local authorities across the country, had other plans. Catherall was invited to provide interim Chief Executive support at St. Helens Council, where he worked until moving to Oldham in 2021. In that role, Catherall once again postponed his retirement, which he was due to take in 2023. 

Oldham Council’s political boss, councillor Arooj Shah called the former CEO an ‘exemplary’ public servant, and added: “I am delighted that Harry has been honoured for his fantastic and longstanding contribution to local government.

Harry is an inspirational and transformative leader of public services and Oldham was incredible lucky to have him as its Chief Executive.” 

And local MP and Minister of State for Local Government, Jim McMahon OBE, recalled seeing Catherall’s ‘straightforward and disciplined approach first hand’, adding he ‘couldn’t be happier’ to see the Tameside CEO awarded an MBE. 

More recently, Catherall returned to Tameside to help bail out the crisis-ridden council after their children’s services were blasted for ‘serious failures’ that left kids ‘at risk of harm’. The struggle to improve the Ofsted ‘inadequate’ rated services resulted in a spate of resignations at the end of 2024. 
Catherall was seconded to the Local Authority on an interim basis, initially splitting his time between Tameside and Oldham. 

At the time, Catherall commented on his connection with the local authority and said: “It brings me great pride to return to [Tameside] in its time of need.”

According to Tameside Council boss councillor Eleanor Willis, the soon-to-be Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) has already made an impact. Willis said: “We are deeply grateful for his exceptional service to Tameside Council to date. His dedication has not only strengthened our organisation but also uplifted staff morale, fostering a culture of positivity and progress.”