A new director who has been selected to represent the council for the children's services company in Reading has been appointed.

Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) is the company that runs children's services such as education and care provision and helping children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Darren Carter, who serves as the director of finance at Reading Borough Council, has been appointed as its representative on the Board of BFfC.

He was selected in a closed session of the council's policy committee meeting on Monday, April 22, which came into effect the following day.

The policy committee also made changes to the 'Articles of Association' which lays out the relationship between the council and BFfC at the meeting.

The change allows the director of education or the director of family help and safeguarding to be substitutes for the executive director of children’s services (EDCS) at board meetings in the event that the EDCS was not able to attend.

The EDCS position at BFfC is held by Lara Patel, who has been in the position since February last year.

Brian Grady is the director of education, and Maria Young is the executive director of family help and safeguarding, which includes children's social care.

Mr Carter joins executive director Patel and other non-executive directors on the governing board of BFfC, which was created in December 2018.