Manchester City Council has announced that in March 2026 Peter Tomlin will take up the role of Strategic Director for Adult Social Services.
Peter arrives from Stoke-on-Trent City Council after working for the authority for seven years, three of which were spent as the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care & All Age Commissioning. He is replacing the outgoing Bernie Enright who is retiring after leading Manchester’s Adult’s directorate since 2018.
In recent years the Council has delivered significant improvements and transformed our services with a focus on improving outcomes for Manchester people. We have done this by embedding strengths-based practice, intervening early and through fantastic services including reablement, strengthening our commissioning and most importantly investing in and supporting our workforce to put Manchester people at the heart of everything we do.
We have also continued to develop our integrated arrangements through Manchester Local Care Organisation, working closely in partnership with Manchester Foundation Trust.
This role will involve continuing to place Manchester at the heart of the national debate about the future of health and social care, influencing important conversations on the future of the sector, ensuring this is shaped by and with residents. The role will be key to ensuring Manchester remains at the forefront of innovation, transformation nationally, working together with our communities and our partners.
Taking up this position, Peter will be responsible for adult social care provision in Manchester, ensuring that services are in place to safeguard, support and protect people at times when they need help or advice. His focus will be to continue to drive forward the integration agenda for Health and Social Care in Manchester with the purpose of enabling independence for individuals through integrated community-based services, strength-based working and care closer to home.
In a career which has spanned 35 years, Peter arrives in Manchester with a strong track record across all levels of local government as well as the private and charity sector. Beginning his career as a residential care worker, he has worked in a number of key roles in post-industrial towns throughout the country, experiencing the challenges which the care sector faces on a daily basis.
Joining Stoke-on-Trent City Council in 2018 as the Assistant Director for Adult Social Care, he was promoted to Corporate Director in 2022, having helped lead the service through the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During his period in Stoke, Peter helped lead his service to obtaining a ‘good’ rating from the CQC, an achievement made more impressive due to the difficult financial situation faced by the authority during that period.
He was also instrumental in building and strengthening relationships within the local community, creating 18 new community lounges across Stoke-on-Trent where the residents were able to access help and support close to home.
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Our Adults Directorate is one of the most far-reaching as well as one of the most important directorates operating in Manchester City Council. Day after day our social care staff are in our communities making a huge difference to the residents who need support to enable them to live independent lives.
“Since 2017 we have been on a significant journey to improve our services for adults in t he city and to bring together new and better ways of working between health and social care. The skills and experience that Peter is bringing to this role will be invaluable in helping lead Manchester into the next chapter of our journey to deliver some of the best services in the country.”
Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care, said: “The dedication which Peter has demonstrated during his entire working career in social care is commendable and exactly why I am excited to welcome him to Manchester City Council.
“The care which our social workers provide has a huge and lasting impact on our residents, for many they can be a lifeline during times of incredible hardship. Over recent years we have placed immense priority on strengthening and improving our services and I am confident that Peter will be able to continue our drive to always keep improving.”
Tom Stannard, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said: “We were impressed with not only the breadth of Peter’s experience but the personal connection he has to the social care sector. We believe this is a defining characteristic and one that I am sure will help him in the delivery of better outcomes and better lives for our residents.”
Peter said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for me and I am very much looking forward to getting started at Manchester City Council.
“Virtually my entire career has been devoted to social care. It is something that I feel passionately about not only from a professional standpoint, but from a personal one.
“I see this job as one of enabling and facilitating – getting the best possible outcome for the people that we serve. We often need to look no further than the communities we serve to find new ideas and innovation and I want to bring that ethos to my new position in Manchester.
“As a still qualified and registered social worker myself I know first-hand just how vital the job of the care sector is, and I want to ensure that Manchester can continue to deliver an excellent standard of care for the people who rely on us.”