Bradford Council has decided to appoint a new supremo to oversee the district's massive schools shake-up.

But today, the head teacher of a school earmarked for closure said he feared the appointment may be too late to help thousands of pupils and displaced teachers.

The new job of head of reorganisation will be advertised shortly and it is hoped the appointee will be able to start before September when the first wave of the reorganisation takes place.

The job will involve working with another yet-to-be appointed senior officer - an external projects manager, who will oversee the £170 million capital programme to build and adapt schools in the switch from a three-tier to a two-tier schools system.

"The person appointed will take charge of the day-to-day educational issues surrounding the reorganisation," said assistant director of education Dr Roger Smith.

"They will oversee issues like the final closure of schools, the redistribution of staff and how the new primary sector will work."

But Neil Donkin, head of Eccleshill Upper School - scheduled to close under the shake-up, said that the education authority has dragged its heels over the appointment.

"It is disturbing that it has taken this long to get to this stage," he said.

"It is more than six weeks down the line since we had the go-ahead from the Department of Education and the advertisement hasn't been placed and it will be another six weeks at least before anybody starts."

Mr Donkin said an 'exit plan' had already been prepared to make sure the departure of students was as smooth as possible.

Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said applications for the job would be invited shortly.

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