This follows the publication of the Munro Review into child protection, commissioned by Department of Education, earlier this week.

The decision to appoint to this role was a manifesto commitment of the Council’s incoming Labour administration and is in light of one of the Munro Review’s key recommendations – that all councils have a dedicated Children’s Services Director reporting to the chief executive and that this post is not shared with other responsibilities.

The post was last held by Julia Almond who retired last summer and chief executive Victor Brownlees has carried the statutory responsibility in addition to his existing duties since.

Mr Brownlees said: “The Munro Report has given some very clear guidance that this role should be a full time position and we will be moving to recruit to this as quickly as possible.”