Nowadays, Salford is renowned for its pioneering health and care integration, its canalside development, its BBC Media City, the Lowry Centre at Salford Quays, a new £138m Port Salford – and indeed its elected mayor model. But the legacy of its industrial past still remains with areas of stark deprivation, making what Salford City Council chief executive Jim Taylor calls ‘a bittersweet city'.

Nonetheless, it has been a good year for Mr Taylor and his staff. Earlier this year he was asked to take on the interim chief's role at neighbouring Trafford MBC. His Salford leadership team won The MJ Senior Leadership Team category in this year's MJ Awards as well as being a finalist in The MJ's Local Authority of the Year.