MANCHESTER Airport has appointed a new £75,000 a year director of corporate affairs.

She is 42-year-old Rowena Burns, currently head of policy services at Manchester City Council, which holds the majority of airport shares.

Eighteen months ago, Miss Burns was appointed chief executive of the airport's subsidiary, Ringway Developments, at a salary of £70,000 but withdrew when several airport directors protested that the job had not been advertised and there had been no other candidates.

Miss Burns's appointment follows the controversial departure of Paul Connellan, the airport's former director of customer services earlier this year.

His place has been taken by another director, David Teale.

Miss Burns was chosen for the job vacated by Mr Teale by a panel which included Cllr Graham Stringer, chairman of Manchester Airport, one other Manchester city councillor and the leaders of Bury and Tameside councils, which are also shareholders in the airport.

But the appointment has still brought protests from other directors.

One said: "This has been a carve up. We knew within two weeks of the departure of Paul Connellan that Rowena Burns was in line for the job."

Miss Burns said: "I am comfortable with the way the appointment was made."

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