Bulger row chief in running for £160k Scots council post

ENGLAND's controversial children's commissioner is in the running for one of Scotland's top local government jobs, The Scotsman can reveal.

Maggie Atkinson, who became embroiled in a row over James Bulger's murder shortly after taking up her post earlier this year, is on the shortlist to become chief executive of Edinburgh City Council.

She is battling to save her 135,000-a-year job as children's commissioner after its future was put up for review by the Coalition Government.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Within weeks of starting the job Dr Atkinson had been forced to apologise to the mother of James Bulger when she suggested his killers should not have stood trial for his murder.

She was branded "twisted and insensitive" by Denise Fraser, who called for Dr Atkinson to resign or be sacked from her post.

She had been outspoken previously about the "demonisation" of young people by the media.

The chief executives of Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Borders Council are also in the running for the 160,000-a-year job.

Tom Aitchison, 59, the council's current chief executive, is retiring from the post later this year after 15 years in the job, which includes responsibility for 19,000 employees in the capital and overseeing a budget of more than 1.3 billion.

When it was advertised, it was billed as "the best job in local government in Scotland".

The recruitment advert stated: "You will be an exceptional leader who has successfully delivered major change resulting in real improvement in a large-scale, complex organisation. We will welcome applications from all sectors."

A senior council source said: "There have been a large number of high-quality external candidates from across the UK and it's only right that the best of these are interviewed. The council is facing huge financial challenges over the next few years and there should be no assumptions that the appointment will be from the local government sector in Scotland."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dr Atkinson recently spoke out to insist she was confident of keeping her job in the wake of the review into the Children's Commission announced by new Education Secretary Michael Gove after the General Election.

Her appointment as Children's Commissioner was mired in controversy even before she started the job after the then Schools Secretary Ed Balls was accused of forcing her through as his choice for the job against the wishes of an influential House of Commons committee. At the time Mr Gove suggested there was "something of the night" about the way Mr Balls ran his department.

Dr Atkinson could not be contacted yesterday.

Profile

DR MAGGIE Atkinson only took up the post of Children's Commissioner for England less than six months ago, when she succeeded Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, who had held the post since it was created in 2005.

Dr Atkinson was previously head of children's services for Gateshead Council for five years, and also served for a year as president of the Association of Directors of Children's Service until March 2009.

Educated in Rotherham and a graduate of Cambridge University, Barnsley-born Dr Atkinson has 26 years of experience of working in the education sector, starting her career teaching English and drama for 11 years.

She also been a schools management support adviser and an inspector for the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills.

Other executives in the frame

The other candidates for the post of chief executive are expected to be:

n Dave Anderson, director of city development at the City of Edinburgh Council.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

n Helen Bailey, director of public services at HM Treasury.

n Sue Bruce, chief executive, Aberdeen City Council.

n Peter Gabbitas, director of health and social care at the City of Edinburgh Council.

n David Hume, chief executive Scottish Borders Council.

n Susan Johnson, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

n Mark Turley, director of services for communities at the City of Edinburgh Council.