THE board of the new company running children’s services in the county has been fully appointed.

Eleven members have been appointed to the board of Worcestershire Children First, which will fully take over the running of children’s services and some educations services on behalf of Worcestershire County Council from October.

The move to the new ‘wholly-owned’ company was forced on the county council by the Department for Education due to a number of poor Ofsted reports which led to an inadequate rating in 2016.

Chairman Rob Morrison was appointed by the Department for Education in May.

As expected, current director of children’s services for the county council Catherine Driscoll will also take up the position of chief executive of Worcestershire Children First.

Tina Russell, assistant director of children’s services, will also make the move to become director of children’s social care and safeguarding at the new company.

Sarah Wilkins, the council’s assistant director for early help and commissioning, makes the move to become director of education and early help.

Councillor Karen May, cabinet member for transformation and commissioning, Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member for education, and Andrew Spice, the council’s director of commercial and commissioning, will all sit on the new board as non-executive directors.

Phil Rook joins the board as director of resources having previously served as finance director for Tricuro, a company run by Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth Councils to provide adult social care.

Sally Taylor, Gareth Moss and Claire Burgess all join as independent non-executive directors.

Claire Burgess has worked as a social worker and manager in the county as well as an adviser to the Department for Education and Local Government Association.

Gareth Moss is a qualified accountant and non-executive chairman of the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust in Staffordshire and advises the government on running academies.

Sally Taylor has held positions as director of education and commissioning at Birmingham City Council, assistant director for children’s services at Oxfordshire County Council and interim director for education at Warwickshire County Council.