Bradford Council has appointed a new schools chief to head a beefed-up education team until a private company takes over in July.

But it won't have to pay a penny for his services.

Les Walton, a retired North Tyneside Council executive director of education, has been headhunted for the new post of assistant chief executive for education. And his salary will be paid by central Government as part of its response to the damning critical Ofsted report on Bradford's education authority.

Council chief executive Ian Stewart said: "This is a positive step. We wanted one of the best education specialists in Britain to fill the post but we didn't feel we would get that with the applications we received when we advertised."

Mr Walton will be in the top tier of the council's newly strengthened education management structure formed to give greater support to schools following Ofsted's criticisms.

More than ten new senior staff are being appointed temporarily to take the authority through the transition period until it forms a partnership with a private company next summer. The council is in negotiations with the Department for Education over who will pay for each post.

Starting in September, they will work in Bradford for between one and three school terms. The structure includes a headteachers' support team to develop a closer relationship between schools and the education authority.

"It is recognised there has to be sea change in the way schools are supported and we are making that change," said Mr Stewart.

The council had originally advertised in national newspapers for an assistant chief executive for education, community and social services. But only ten people applied for the £95,000-a-year post earlier this year and it was decided to create a temporary post for an education specialist instead.

At the time, Bradford National Union of Teachers secretary Ian Murch suggested it was because there were not many people with the required level of expertise in social services and education.

At a time of crisis in education he expected the appointment of someone with a strong education background. Now the council appears to have reached the same conclusion.

e-mail: william.stewart@

bradford.newsquest.co.uk