Moves to appoint a highly-paid head of children’s services at Telford & Wrekin Council were today criticised by opposition councillors who claimed the role was “unnecessary” and would cost taxpayers about £130,000.

The council’s Labour administration has announced plans to appoint a dedicated director of children’s services after a recommendation in the Government’s Munro Report.

The report was an independent review of child protection across the country.

But the proposals have been criticised by Conservative members of the council.

Conservative spokesman Councillor Stephen Burrell said: “Here we go again with a new Labour administration unnecessarily spending a huge amount of our money just to increase staff and the council’s wage bill rather than invest in frontline services for our community.

“We deleted this post more than 12 months ago and transferred the responsibility to a remaining director saving around £130,000 of taxpayer’s money in the process. As a result standards have never been so high at Telford & Wrekin.

“It is becoming quite clear that once again they are prepared to pay a fantastically high wage for one extra job at a time when the council is making other posts redundant.

“I urge them to consider alternative arrangements and joint working with other authorities before they simply run out of money and are forced to hike up council tax or cut services.”

The council has not had a full-time director of children’s services since last summer when Julia Almond retired. Her salary was then more than £108,000.

The job has since been covered by chief executive Victor Brownlees.

Councillor Paul Watling, who is due to be made the council’s cabinet member for children and young people and families, said: “This decision was taken by the new administration because we feel the safety of children is too important to be a part time job and this is supported by the Munro Report.

“In addition, the post which was, in the words of councillor Burrell, ‘deleted’, remained a funded part of the council budget and so the cost of the appointment has already been allocated.

“Putting a price on the safety of children may be something the previous administration were prepared to do, but it is not something we should accept. Councillor Burrell should read the Munro Report commissioned by his own Government before he makes statements such as this.”

By Paul Mannion