THE REVEREND JAMES A CRUDDAS OBE MBA MCMI FRSA James A Cruddas, 52, is Deputy Director, Waste and Recycling, Circular Economy Directorate, in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Presbyter (Minister), Birmingham Circuit, The Methodist Church, practising in the workplace and at churches in the Birmingham area. 

A civil servant for over three decades, James partners with local authorities to advance recycling more, including securing provision of recycling and residual waste infrastructure. This includes energy from waste. He also leads national government’s efforts to tackle waste crime.

Prior to this James was Director, Windsor Framework, responsible for implementing the framework in Northern Ireland. In his career he has worked in trade, national emergency response and recovery, regeneration, housing and transport, as well as organisational change and HR. His formation included a spell as assistant private secretary to two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State in the House of Lords.

In ministry, prior to his move to Birmingham, James led the Working Faithfully programme at West London Mission and was trustee of two charities, one of which was a large social enterprise. Before that he was minister of Belvedere Methodist Church in southeast London, part of the Lesnes Abbey Circuit of the Methodist Church.

James graduated a Master of Business Administration (Public Service) from The University of Birmingham in 2004, with distinction. He became a Member of the Chartered Management Institute the following year, then was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in 2007. James was appointed an Officer of the Most Honourable Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours 2022, for public service. He is a Fellow of the Westminster Abbey Institute, which promotes thinking about moral purpose in public life. He graduated from the Major Projects Leadership Academy in 2025.

James is married to Rachel; they have four sons, twins Mali and Zach, Hezi and Codi. They live in the West Midlands.