Place Directors: factsheet

The Public Service Reform Strategy and the  Verity House Agreement both recognise Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) as a critical mechanism for aligning local resources around prevention and early intervention.

Place Directors are senior civil servants who act as ambassadors for Community Planning Partnerships and local leaders. They build a strong understanding of local priorities and place-based leadership, helping to ensure that national policy and implementation reflect the realities and needs of local communities.

This is a list of current Place Directors and their contact details (correct as of February 2026):

• Aberdeen City, Richard McCallum, Director of Public Spending, (Richard.McCallum@gov.scot)
• Aberdeenshire, Anne Aitken, Deputy Director of Environmental Quality and Resilience (Anne.Aitken@gov.scot) and Rebecca Hackett, Deputy Director of Corporate, Strategy, Marine (Rebecca.Hackett2@gov.scot)
• Angus, Jonathan Brown, Deputy Director and Parliamentary Council (Jonathan.Brown3@gov.scot)
• Argyll and Bute, Amy Wilson, Deputy Director of Workforce Planning and Development (DeputyDirectorHWPD@gov.scot)
• Clackmannanshire, Derek Grieve, Deputy Director of Social Care Response (Derek.Grieve@gov.scot)
• Dumfries and Galloway, Claire Renton, Deputy Director of Employability (claire.renton@gov.scot)
• Dundee City, Sean Neill, Director for Housing (DirectorForHousing@gov.scot)
• East Ayrshire, Calum Elliot, Deputy Director of National Collaborative Procurement and Innovation (calum.elliot@gov.scot)
• East Dunbartonshire, Adam Reid, Deputy Director of Skills  (Adam.Reid@gov.scot)
• East Lothian, Bettina Sizeland, Director of Bus, Accessibility and Active Travel (Bettina.Sizeland@transport.gov.scot)
• East Renfrewshire, Mo Rooney, Deputy Director of Safer Communities (maureen.rooney@gov.scot) and Lorraine King, Deputy Director of Tax Strategy, Engagement and Performance (Lorraine.King@gov.scot)
• Edinburgh (City of), Will Tyler-Greig, Deputy Director, More Homes Division (Will.Tyler-Greig@gov.scot)
• Falkirk, Orlando Mason, Deputy Director of Workforce Infrastructure and Digital (Orlando.Mason@gov.scot)
• Fife, Alison Taylor, Deputy Director of Improvement Attainment and Wellbeing (Alison.Taylor@gov.scot)
• Glasgow City, Gary Gillespie, Chief Economist  (Gary.Gillespie@gov.scot) and Mary McAllan, Director of Public Service Reform (Mary.McAllan@gov.scot),
• Highland, Donna MacKinnon, Deputy Director of European Relations (Donna.MacKinnon@gov.scot)
• Inverclyde, Fiona Simpson, Director and Chief Planner  (Fiona.Simpson@gov.scot)
• Midlothian, Penny Curtis, Deputy Director of Defence, Security and Cyber Resilience (Penelope.Curtis@gov.scot)
• Moray, George Burgess, Director of Agriculture and the Rural Economy (DirectorARE@gov.scot)
• North Ayrshire, Brian Taylor, Deputy Director for Children’s Rights’ Protection and Justice (ddcrpj@gov.scot) 
• North Lanarkshire, James Boyce, Head of Health Sponsorship (james.boyce@gov.scot)
• Orkney Islands, Ellen Leaver, Acting Director to Local Government and Analytical Services (Ellen.Leaver@gov.scot)
• Perth and Kinross, Dougie McLaren, Deputy Chief Operating Officer: Performance and Delivery (Douglas.McLaren@gov.scot)
• Renfrewshire, Lewis Hedge, Deputy Director, Curriculum and Qualifications (Lewis.Hedge@gov.scot)
• Scottish Borders, Alison Irvine, Director and Interim Chief Executive of Transport Scotland (ceo@transport.gov.scot)
• Shetland Islands, Nick Ford, Director of Procurement and Property (Nick.Ford@gov.scot)
• South Ayrshire, Alice Mergler, Operational Delivery Leader and Management Head of Operation (alice.mergler@gov.scot) and Lisa McGuinnes, Director of Strategy and Delivery (directorSDD@gov.scot)
• South Lanarkshire, Clare Hicks, Director of Educational Reform (clare.hicks@gov.scot)
• Stirling, Simon Mair, Deputy Director of Place Based Service and Reform (simon.mair@gov.scot)
• West Dunbartonshire, Brian Dornan, Deputy Director of Constitutional Futures (brian.dornan@gov.scot)
• West Lothian, Jim Baird, Deputy Director of Head of Workplace (jim.baird@gov.scot)
• Western Isles, Kirsty Walker, Deputy Director for Executive Team Strategic Governance Office (kirsty.walker2@gov.scot)