Leadbetter to stand down as director

Mike Leadbetter, president of the Association
of Directors of Social Services, is to stand down as director of
social services at Essex Council at the end of the year, before
operational responsibility is removed from the role.

His
post will be incorporated into the new position of deputy chief
executive, learning and social care. It will focus on commissioning
service outcomes and service improvement and performance, while
heads of service will report to the chief executive. Similar models
are already operating in Surrey and Hertfordshire.

Leadbetter said he would have
lost line management responsibility for operational and support
services. “Had there not been such a reorganisation in Essex I
would have been delighted to carry on,” he said. He will be taking
early retirement from Essex and will look for a role involving his
interests in children, human resources or training. He will
continue his new role leading the Department of Health’s task force
on practice learning.