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Frances operating to gold standard

27/ 9/2006

SHE blazed a trail through Rochdale Council, then conquered the sporting world.

Frances Done came to the town highly recommended and not only lived up to but surpassed all expectations.

But there was even more to come as she made her mark on the rest of the country, too.

A chartered accountant, she worked for a Manchester firm and ran a large department which carried out external audits for the public sector, including health authorities, councils and universities.

She was also regional finance manager for the national Housing Corporation.

Politically she was a Labour Manchester City councillor for 13 years, four of them as chairwoman of the finance committee.

She also fought two general elections, at Cheadle in 1979 and Withington in 1983, though losing both.

Ms Done withdrew from politics in 1988 and two years later landed the job of Rochdale borough treasurer.

On taking the post she said: "I think local government has things to learn from the private sector, particularly when it comes to the whole organisation pulling together towards major objectives. But I think the private sector has a lot to learn from the public sector, too - it is not always one way."

Her steady hand steered the authority through some choppy financial waters and she swiftly earned a reputation for getting things done.

At the end of 1996 she was appointed chief executive of Rochdale Council while remaining treasurer.

It was a historic move which made her the first female to take the senior post. It was also the first time the two jobs had been merged.

Ms Done proved an excellent appointment and over the next three years worked to ensure the council made progress.

She kept the township structure running smoothly - which she saw as perhaps her biggest success - helped councillors to make successful bids for government grants and played a major part in keeping the Rochdale Canal regeneration Project on track.

Funding she brought in included Health Action Zones and the Single Regeneration Budget.

In April 2000, however, Ms Done resigned from the post to take on an even bigger challenge.

She became chief executive of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, due to take place in Manchester.

Paying tribute MP Jim Dobbin said: "Frances has been an excellent chief executive and treasurer and will be a major loss to the authority.

"Her steady and logical influence has brought many benefits to the borough and she is leaving us with a sound base on which to build."

Then council leader Peter Roberts added: "In a relatively short space of time she has made a huge and successful impact in Rochdale and beyond.

"She has taken the ideas and aspirations of politicians and produced clear plans and delivered solutions."

Looking back on her time Ms Done said: "I respect politicians because most are in the position for the right reasons and I understand their perspective on issues because of my time as a councillor. Local authorities are a partnership between politicians and officers with officers supporting politicians in what they want."

Despite an admitted limited knowledge of sport Ms Done's running of the Commonwealth Games was of gold medal standard. Thanks to her efforts and influence the event proved to be a huge success.

Not surprisingly, this brought her to the attention of other bodies and after the Games she became an acting director of the Audit Commission. She is now the managing director of its local government section.