Bracknell

Bracknell Forest Borough Council has appointed a new Interim Director of Social Services and Housing.

Ian Davey took up the post on Tuesday, January 9, and joins Bracknell Council after spending more than 30 years in the social services field - firstly as a social worker and then as a manager of a number of social services departments until he became Director of Social Services in Rochdale where he stayed for 12 years.

More recently he has been an Interim Director of Social Services for the London Borough of Sutton - where he improved the Council's social services star rating; and Director of Adult Services in Wiltshire - where he tackled financial problems.

Mr Davey will be working within the department for the next 10 months and has already met with key staff to draw up an action plan.

The Bracknell action plan includes tackling priorities identified by the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate (CSCI) as well as supporting staff working on the Your Homes, Your Choice - The Way Forward project, looking at budgets and developing the Council's strategic housing policy.

As a pledge to ensure the department continues to improve Mr Davey will make the action plan public once it has been agreed by elected members.

Mr Davey said: "Bracknell Forest has some very good services but what we need to do is improve further on that and show CSCI inspectors how we have modernised and taken on board their recommendations as well as the feedback of residents who use our services.

"Our care services are modernising but not at a fast enough pace and I want to make sure the plans in place to tackle that are carried out and that we are working towards improving our social services star rating.

"Housing will also be a priority and I will give my whole-hearted support to staff working on the proposed Council housing stock transfer to a new not-for-profit housing association as well as looking at ways of developing the strategic housing policy."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: "Ian is very capable and experienced and will bring some fresh ideas to the department. Continuing to improve our services for some of the borough's most vulnerable residents is of paramount importance to the Council and I believe Ian will contribute greatly in making sure that at Bracknell Forest we have a first-class service on offer."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council