A former maths teacher has been appointed to the £110,000-a-year job to run education and social services in Bradford.

Mark Carriline, 40, will take up the post of Assistant Chief Executive (education, community and social care) in the New Year.

His role will be to monitor the performance of private firm Serco which has a £360 million contract to manage Bradford's schools. He will also have overall responsibility for social services.

Mr Carriline, of Stockport, Cheshire, is married with three children, aged nine, six and six months. His current job is director of education and leisure at Salford City Council, a post he has held for three years.

His wife Aine is head of special needs at a school in Wigan and the family do not plan to move to Bradford.

Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mr Carriline won a scholarship to the city's Royal Grammar School and went to Churchill College, Cambridge, where TV presenter Carol Vorderman was a fellow student.

He then worked as a maths teacher at schools in Cambridgeshire and Milton Keynes, but moved to Rochdale LEA after four years at the chalk face.

He rose to be assistant director of education at Wigan local education authority in the early 1990s before moving to Salford. He was the youngest chief education officer in the country, when he got the job.

"I am absolutely delighted and extremely honoured that I have been asked to do this job," he said.

"It is an exciting opportunity in an exciting city, and I am looking forward to taking up the post in the New Year."

Salford is a similarly deprived area to Bradford but the education authority passed its Ofsted inspection with flying colours in 1999.

Bradford failed its inspection last year, which has resulted in private firm Serco being brought in.

"What this is about is getting the best outcomes we can for the people of Bradford - especially the children," Mr Carriline said.

Councillor David Ward, executive member for education, said: "This is the most important part of the jigsaw for education, and I know Mark was competing with a very strong shortlist.

"We believe we now have someone in place of an extremely high calibre."

Councillor Margaret Eaton, leader of Bradford Council, said: "This appointment is the final touch to the Council's senior management restructure."