Wokingham Borough Council’s chief executive is moving to a new post in Children’s Services in Birmingham.
Andy Couldrick joined the council six years ago, firstly as Director of Children’s Services and latterly as Chief Executive. Previously, he had been head of social care at Oxfordshire County Council.
He will be the first person to take on the role of chief executive to Birmingham Children’s Trust.
In a statement released by Birmingham City Council, Mr Couldrick said: “I am delighted to become the first Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Trust. This is a great opportunity to build on and to support the fantastic work being done every day by social workers and our partners in the city, supporting and safeguarding our most vulnerable children.
“Birmingham is a young, diverse and exciting place and I am delighted to have the chance to work with colleagues in this new Trust, focused exclusively on improving outcomes for children, young people and families.
“As a social worker myself, I know how challenging and how rewarding what we do is, and how we have the opportunity, together, to change lives. Anything I and the new Trust can do, to make these challenges easier, to help improve how we work together, and to keep hold of the strong relationship with the City Council, will be a pleasure as well as a privilege. I can’t wait to start.”
He also made a statement to Wokingham Borough Council staff, seen by The Wokingham Paper.
In it he said that the new trust was being set up “express to achieve rapid and significant improvement in performance. Services in Birmingham have struggled for many years”.
He added that it was a “unique chance for me” and he was approached as a result of the “reputation this [Wokingham Borough] Council is building”.
He added: “I want it to be clear that I was not looking for another role. It came looking for me”.
