A COUNCIL has set aside a salary teetering on six figures to entice a new top boss for education.

Oxfordshire County Council is recruiting for a deputy director for education and learning, to plug a gap at the top of its senior management tree.

Defending the extra expense to taxpayers, it described the role as ‘critical’ and said the advertised salary of £92,528-£102,137 was necessary to attract applicants.

Council spokesman Owen Morton said: “The deputy director post is not a new role, but has been vacant for some time, with duties covered by existing staff and latterly with interim arrangements.

“This is the benchmarked rate for the post and will enable the council to attract a suitable candidate for this critical role.”

The council’s director of children’s services, Lucy Butler, will still hold overall responsibility for education as is currently the case.

Mr Morton added: “The appointee will report to the director for children’s services and will be the key contact for schools.

“This will enable a strong focus on education with more capacity for partnership working with schools, helping to drive up standards and ensuring the needs of vulnerable children are met.”

The council has cut senior management posts from 158 in 2010 to 84 currently, which Mr Morton said had banked ‘significant savings’ through such streamlining.

He added: “There will always be changes at the senior level as people move on and we seek to maximise value for money.”

There was a shake-up in senior posts at the council following a review in 2016, but Mr Morton confirmed no more major changes to the top positions are planned.

County councillor John Howson said he believed the authority had not had a deputy director for education for two years, which he said had been detrimental.

The education expert said: “It left nobody with education experience and an oversight position to develop strategy. We had and have very good section heads but that is not the same as a senior strategic lead for all education. “

He noted a particular downfall in provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities in the county, which was criticised by Ofsted in a report released last week.

Prof Howson added: “The lack of strategic oversight shows how important retaining a top-level post within the county council with expertise in education is.”

The council’s job advert, posted on education site TES at the end of November, seeks someone who will ‘champion educational excellence’ and ‘define and deliver an inspirational vision for all’.

Improving attainment for vulnerable pupils will be among key priorities for the new deputy.