Michael Murray, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Council 1984-1996.

Michael Murray was born in Warrington, Lancashire. Educated at a Catholic Secondary school, he then studied Law at Manchester University and acknowledges excellent funding support from both the Church and Warrington Borough Council. He took articles in a private practice in Wigan for two years to qualify as a Solicitor. In 1969 Michael began working for Crewe Borough Council; advocacy opportunities in local government appealed to him. In 1971 he became Assistant Town Clerk at Chester City Council. Then in 1974, with Local Government Reorganisation, he was promoted to Chief Officer level, his eventual title Chief Secretary and Solicitor (and Deputy Chief Executive). He notes: ‘The Local Government reorganisation …was a period of great confusion’. He and his family settled at Chester for 10 years but by the age of 37 he sought a move to be a Chief Executive. He was contemplating a move to Ellesmere Port but then saw an advert for the Milton Keynes Council post and ‘decided … to do this as a test run’, feeling it was a large place and would attract high-level candidates. He says: ‘I applied for it and when I came here I was just overwhelmed by it …it was just brilliant’. After a ‘really interesting interview’, he was offered the job on the spot. He and his family eventually found a five-bedroomed house and moved down in the spring of 1984.