A new director of children’s services for Brighton and Hove has been chosen.
Pinaki Ghoshal was chosen by Brighton and Hove City Council’s Appointment and Remuneration Panel which is a cross-party panel of councillors.
Mr Ghoshal is assistant director for children and young people’s services at Warrington Borough Council where he has worked since January 2007.
His job at Brighton and Hove is a statutory role, that is, a post required by law.
As director of children’s services he will be in charge of safeguarding children in Brighton and Hove and oversees children’s services.
The children’s services department includes education, health and social care for everyone up to 19 years old and for people with special needs up to 25 years old.
The department works in partnership with other health services and community and voluntary organisations in the area.
He takes over from Heather Tomlinson, who became the interim director of children’s services after Terry Parkin left in the autumn to work in Bromley Council in London.
The council said that Mr Ghoshal’s appointment was subject to a few formalities and was expected to be confirmed within a few days. A meeting of the full council takes place tomorrow (Thursday 28 March).
Mr Ghoshal was born in London but has lived and worked in the north west of England for the past 23 years.
He is a qualified teacher and taught English as an additional language before moving into management.
Council chief executive Penny Thompson said: “Our aim is to make Brighton and Hove the best place in the country for children and young people to grow up in and to achieve the most that they can out of life.
“I am delighted that a cross-party panel of councillors has recommended Mr Ghoshal for this important post which aims to foster a fresh culture within our children’s services team.”
Mr Ghoshal said: “I am very pleased to have been selected and very much look forward to working with all the very experienced officers in Brighton and Hove and with partners and schools across the city.
“The city council is highly ambitious and I look forward to making a lasting difference – from raising educational attainment to reducing the number of looked after children.”
