Doncaster Council has appointed a new director of children's
services after the government ordered a fresh senior management
team to be installed at the service.
Gareth Williams, director of children's services
at Leicestershire Council, has been seconded to Doncaster on
a temporary basis, during which time he will maintain his
position at Leicestershire.
Last month, children's secretary Ed Balls announced the
establishment of an improvement board to oversee children's
services at Doncaster, headed by Tony Elson, a former director of
social services.
A Department for Children, Schools and Families "diagnostic
review" found urgent improvements were required at the council. In
its 2008 annual performance assessment, Ofsted graded the council
as 'inadequate' overall and for safeguarding.
Williams will replace Dr Paul Gray, who has spent the last year
as interim director of children's services at the south Yorkshire
authority.
Doncaster Council's managing director, Paul Hart, said: "Paul
has worked tremendously hard to stabilise a service that had major
problems when he arrived a year ago and has made significant
improvements to the service."
Williams said: "I am very impressed by the desire of everyone to
make rapid improvements and work very hard to that end for the
people of Doncaster."
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