Recruitment for two top education posts will soon get under way in Bradford.

Members of Bradford Council's executive committee will decide next week whether to give the go-ahead for recruitment to take place for the posts of assistant chief executive and education director

The position of assistant chief executive, with responsibility for education, community and social care, has been filled on a temporary consultancy basis by Les Walton. He has been helping to guide the education department as the Council prepares to appoint a private sector organisation to work with it to provide education support services to schools.

He is due to leave the authority in September after overseeing the transfer of services to the new partner organisation due to be selected next month.

Diana Cavanagh, director of education and schools, is retiring in June after more than three decades in teaching and educational administration. It has been proposed that this post be deleted when she leaves and replaced with the position of director of education.

Councillor David Ward, executive member for education said: "Education is entering a new era in Bradford and it is an opportune time to begin recruitment for these two top posts."

At the executive committee meeting on Tuesday members will also be asked to give approval for the appointment of a temporary director of education, depending on the recruitment timescale, until the post is permanently filled.

Council leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton, said: "We are determined that we attract the best qualified people in Britain to run our education department.''

If the committee agrees that recruitment can go ahead, the appointments sub-committee will determine specifics of the recruitment process for the assistant chief executive, such as job description, personnel specification and advertising the post.

The chief executive would be responsible for appointing an education director.