Coventry City Council’s Chief Executive and Town Clark Ian Roxburgh will this afternoon announce the appointment of Peter Smallridge as Special Advisor on Social Services to the city council.

Mr Smallridge retired earlier this year from a post of Director of Social Services for Kent. He is former President of the Association of Directors of Social Services and one of the most respected national figures on child protection.

Mr Smallridge will be spending approximately two days a week in Coventry from late November onwards, for a period of probably no less than six months. This will be reviewed at the end of January 1999.

He will not be designated as Acting or Interim Director, but as Special Advisor on Social Services to the city council, The management of the department will continue to be covered by the Heads of Division, with overall co-ordination of the Chief Executive, to whom Peter Smallridge will be formally accountable.

Mr Smallridge’s brief will be to give advice and assume responsibility for overseeing the action plans in response to the Joint Review and the SSI Report; to oversee the review of commissioning in the context of Best Value; to give advice and direction to the review of the Children and Family Services; to review and produce proposals for management development; training and team development; to examine and make recommendations on relationships with partner organisations involved in child protection and to advise and assist in the recruitment of a Director of Social Services.

Mr Roxburgh said:

"Mr Smallridge’s appointment will give the city council access to advice and assistance second to none. This will allow us to lay the foundations for the excellent service which we are determined to provide for the sake of the children of Coventry."

Mr Smallridge’s appointment will be announced this afternoon (Wed) at a joint meeting of Coventry City Council’s Social Affairs Policy Co-ordinating Committee, the Executive Co-ordinating Committee and the Finance Policy Team.