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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Lisa Rand

£128k children's services head sought as director makes early departure

Sefton Council is looking for a new chief for its troubled children’s services with outgoing director Martin Birch leaving earlier than anticipated.

Recruitment is underway to find a replacement executive director for children’s services, with an advertisement for the role - which pays up to £128k a year - now online.

A meeting of Sefton’s children’s services scrutiny committee held this week was notable by Mr Birch’s absence, cabinet member Cllr Mhairi Doyle revealed the director was leaving the council on Friday for “personal reasons.”

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Mr Birch, who was appointed in January last year and took up his post in April following the council’s inadequate Ofsted rating, announced his impending departure last month less than a year into his role.

A council spokesperson said at the time he had “tendered his resignation” and was due to leave in April.

The council spokesperson cited "personal reasons" behind Mr Birch’s departure, who was understood to be taking up a role in Cumbria, closer to where he lives.

However, at the children’s services meeting held this week it was revealed Mr Birch’s departure from the council would actually be this Friday, March 10, as the outgoing director is taking outstanding leave.

Cllr Judy Hardman said: “He has every right to leave of course, but I’m concerned we will miss him. We’ve talked a lot about the importance of stability and relationships and this is a big hit. What are we going to do?”

Cllr Doyle said the vacancy was now out with a date set for the end of May for interviews.

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