October – December 2005

GERALDINE PEACOCK is to leave the Charity Commission in June. She will step down from her role as chief commissioner, citing personal reasons including her health and a move to Canada.

MARILYN WELSH, currently social work manager at Staffordshire children and lifelong learning, is to move to the prison service in the new year, where she will take on the post of safeguarding manager at Werrington Young Offender Institution.

The government has appointed Mind chief executive RICHARD BROOK designate public guardian and chief executive of the Office of the Public Guardian. He will be involved in implementing the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Southwark Council in London has appointed ELAINE ALLEGRETTI as children’s trust development manager. She was previously at the London Borough of Bexley, where she supported the development of its children’s trust.

JULIA ROSS, former social services director at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, is new national programme lead for social care at the Department of Health.

JOHN HERITAGE has joined Making Space as director of development.The mental health charity has also promoted GAYNOR CHISNALL to director of operations.

Derbyshire Council has appointed BRUCE BUCKLEY director of children’s services. He was previously social services director at the authority for 14 years.  

Former teacher ANDY SAMSON is to be executive director of learning and child care at North East Lincolnshire Council. He joins from Oldham Council, where he was assistant director, education and culture.

Bristol Council has appointed ANNIE HUDSON as director of adult social services. She has been acting director of social services and health at Bristol since February.

TERRY BUTLER, former director of social services at Hampshire Council, is newly appointed as a member of the General Social Care Council. Butler now works as an adviser to Hampshire Council. 

Anchor Care has promoted JANET ROWE to operations manager for London and the south of England. She was previously health and safety adviser at the charity. Anchor Care supports older people in their own homes and is part of Anchor Trust.

DAVID OLDERSHAW is to be interim director of social care and health at Leicester Council. He was previously service director for resources, social care and health.  

DIANA SUTTON and NATALIE CRONIN are new joint heads of policy and public affairs at NSPCC, as a job share. Cronin has been acting head of policy at the children’s charity and Sutton previously worked for Save the Children.

ENVER SOLOMON is to be deputy director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies at King’s College London, a charity aiming to inform and educate. He was previously head of policy and research at the charity Revolving Doors.

NEELAM BHARDWAJA is to be new social care director at Cardiff Council, overseeing children’s and adult services. She succeeds Chris Davies, who is retiring. Bhardwaja is currently head of children and families at Poole Council.

Learning difficulties charity HFT, (previously Home Farm Trust), has appointed PAUL FARQUHARF as manager for its services in Kent.

The new role of director of children’s services at Worcestershire Council is to be filled by RICHARD HUBBARD. He was formerly children’s services director at West Berkshire Council.

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council, which regulates the profession, has re-appointed six members for two more years. RICHARD BLACK, JONATHAN GILES, BRENDAN MCKEEVER, RICHARD REID, JAMES SMYTH and ELEANOR TAGGART all have strong backgrounds in social care.

Chief executive ERVILLE MILLAR is to leave Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust in London early next year. His newjob is chief executive at Kent and Medway Partnership NHS Trust.

ANDREW COZENS is newly appointed as strategic adviser for children, adult and health services at the Improvement and Development Agency for local government. A former president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, Cozens is currently director of social care at Leicester Council.

DAME JANE ROBERTS will step down as leader of Camden Council in London next month and will not seek re-election as a councillor in May.