St Helens Town Deal Board

Neil Butler - Chair of the St Helens Town Deal Board 

Neil recently retired but prior to that he enjoyed a nearly 40 year career in the glass industry, ending it as global innovation lead at Glass Futures, the world-leading innovation centre in St Helens town centre. He has a wealth of experience in the glass industry as well as a keen interest in the arts sector in the borough having tread the board at places like The Citadel and St Helens Theatre Royal. Neil has also been active in the education sector both as a school governor and having run a chain of children's day nurseries with his wife.

Neil is delighted to have joined the board in order to give back to the community that has not only given him a fulfilling career in glass but also an enjoyable and happy family life. There are so many exciting projects that he hopes will produce inward investment and a long-lasting legacy for the people of St Helens.

Marie Rimmer - Member of Parliament for St Helens South and Whiston

Marie has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South and Whiston since 2015. In her time in Parliament, Marie has served as a Shadow Disabilities Minister and as a whip on the Labour frontbench. St Helens has been Marie's home all her life. Prior to becoming MP for St Helens South and Whiston, Marie was Leader of St Helens Borough Council twice, serving as a local councillor for over 30 years. In her career before Parliament, Marie worked at Pilkington. In 2005, Marie was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to local government.

David Baines - Member of Parliament for St Helens North
 

David grew up in Haydock and attended St Edmund Arrowsmith RC High school, Liverpool John Moores and the University of Manchester, he was a volunteer youth worker in Moss Bank before becoming a primary school teacher and then worked for Liz McInnes MP.

David was elected to St Helens MBC representing the Windle ward in 2013 and was Leader from 2019-24. He has also held the role of Deputy Mayor of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, in 2023 and held Liverpool City Region portfolio for net zero and air quality. As Leader he oversaw significant improvements in children's services. Before being elected as the Labour MP for St Helens North in July 2024.

Mark Palethorpe - Chief Executive, St Helens Borough Council

Mark was appointed as Chief Executive of St Helens Borough Council in April 2025. Prior to this he held a joint role in St Helens as the Executive Director of People, which had responsibility for Children and Young People, Adults Social Care and Public Health and the NHS Place Director for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside. Before coming to St Helens, Mark worked at Cheshire East Council in the role of Executive Director for People's Services with responsibility for Adults Social Care, Children and Young People, Public Health and Communities. Mark was also the NHS and Council Place lead for Cheshire East and led on Public Sector Transformation across the sub region of Cheshire and Warrington.

Mark has previously worked as Strategic Director for Cheshire West and Chester Council responsible for Adults Social Care, Children and Young People commissioning and Public Health where he was the lead director for the 'All Together Better' programme - forging relationships with a range of partners and stakeholders locally and nationally.

Mark has a wealth of experience in collaborative working and integration and is a passionate advocate for inclusive growth and commissioning services that genuinely improve local people's lives and tackle inequalities.

Mark has built up his skills, knowledge and experience throughout his career working across a range of local authority, voluntary and private sector roles including time spent in Wiltshire, Hampshire, Stoke on Trent, Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East.

Steve Coffey - Chief Executive, Torus

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.

Gill Smith - Regional Director, AtkinsRéalis

Gill leads the project management service for AtkinsRéalis in the north west and is delighted to bring her knowledge and experience of robust project delivery to the Town Deal Board. She has a personal passion for regeneration and in delivering positive community impact through improvements to the built environment.

John F Tabern MSc - Project Director, Cannington Shaw Preservation Trust CIC

Local businessman and former volunteer Chair of the Town Deal Board. John was successful in leading the bid for £25 million of funding from the government's Towns Fund initiative and oversaw the compiling of the business cases which saw eight projects in the town centre area share the award.  John is a founder - along with friend Andy Reid MBE - of the Standing Tall Foundation charity, which supports mental health in the local community and offers addiction support. John also has a consultancy business called JT Project Management Ltd. A diehard fan of St Helens Rugby League Club, a walker, a reader, historian, and something of a glass expert, but mainly a scholar of life with all of its wonderful intricacies and contradictions.

Cath Fogarty - Executive Director of Corporate Services, St Helens Borough Council

Cath has held her current position of Executive Director of Corporate Services at St Helens Council since 2018 and has extensive experience from working in Local Government for over 30 years.

Cath started her career in Local Government as a trainee accountant at Salford City Council and has worked at several North West local authorities including Wigan and Halton Borough Councils prior to joining St Helens in 2002.  During her career Cath has undertaken roles including Strategic Director, S151 Officer, Finance Director, and Head of Audit & Risk.

Cath is a Chartered Accountant by profession and actively supports her professional body (CIPFA) and also been the Regional (North West) Chair of the CIPFA Audit, Risk & Governance Group.  Cath is passionate about local government reform and service transformation.