Suffolk Council top director to leave

ROSALIND Turner, Suffolk County Council's director for children and young people, has been appointed to the same post with Kent County Council.Ms Turner has headed up the role in Suffolk, which includes schools and social care, since March 2005.

ROSALIND Turner, Suffolk County Council's director for children and young people, has been appointed to the same post with Kent County Council.

Ms Turner has headed up the role in Suffolk, which includes schools and social care, since March 2005.

Councillor Patricia O'Brien, portfolio holder for children, schools and young people's services, said: "Rosalind has been an extremely impressive director of children' services, she has proved a great success here and will be very hard to replace. Her energy, commitment and drive to improve things for local children and young people has been an inspiration to us all. We are very sorry to lose her, but we wish her the very best in her new role. I'm sure she will watch our progress in the future with interest."

Ms Turner said: "I am proud of what we have achieved in Suffolk - bringing all children's services together and establishing integrated working through our community clusters, developing 53 children's centres which have lit up the county through new ways of working with children and their parents, moving the way schools are organised towards an all two-tier system, developing post-16 centres and increasing our investment in social care for children and families. It has been my privilege to work with so many committed, energetic and talented people and I believe that the children and young people of Suffolk can look forward to a brighter future through all their efforts.

"I am really excited about joining Kent County Council. This post represents a significant opportunity and I am looking forward to building on the good work already underway."