Joanne Roney
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Joanne Roney | |
|---|---|
| Managing Director of Birmingham City Council | |
| Assumed office September 2024 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Graeme Betts |
| Chief Executive of Manchester City Council | |
| In office 1 April 2017 – September 2024 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Howard Bernstein |
| Succeeded by | Eamonn Boylan |
| Chief executive for Wakefield Metropolitan District Council | |
| In office July 2008 – March 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 September 1961 Shard End, Birmingham, England |
| Relatives | 3 brothers, 2 sisters |
| Alma mater | Birmingham University |
Joanne Lucille Roney CBE (born 13 September 1961) is the current Managing Director of Birmingham City Council since September 2024. Prior to this, she served as the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council.[1][2]
Career
Roney was an apprentice at 16 with Birmingham City Council's housing department. She later went on to become Director of Housing for Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, West Yorkshire. She then worked for 10 years as Sheffield City Council's Executive Director of housing and community care where she was involved in the regeneration of Park Hill estate by Urban Splash.[5] While working her way through the ranks she studied part-time at Birmingham University and gained an MBA in public sector management.[4]
Roney became Chief executive for Wakefield Metropolitan District Council in July 2008.[6]
In 2009, the Anglo Irish Bank, which was funding half of the £200 million need for Trinity Walk shopping centre, Wakefield, collapsed and the developer, Modus, went into administration.[7]
Roney devised a rescue package of new finance and in 2010, the scheme was sold to a consortium (Sovereign Land, AREA Property Partners, and Shepherd Construction).[8] She helped the council to create its own housing company, Bridge Homes, in joint partnership with WDH construction in 2014.[8] Roney also oversaw the construction and opening of the Hepworth Wakefield Gallery.[9]
Roney took up her position as chief executive[broken anchor] of Manchester City Council in April 2017.[8]
On 17 October 2025, "The Telegraph" reported that Roney was accused of calling a property agent "a massive Jewish b---end."[10]
On 22 October 2025 the case against Manchester council and Joanne Roney for alleged ‘discrimination on racial grounds’ was dropped, with the property agent claimant discontinuing his claims and paying all legal costs.