THE CONTROVERSIAL director of people’s services at Thurrock Council, who left the authority to take up a new job in Camden, has, mysteriously, not taken up her post.
Jo Olsson, who earned £130,000 a year in charge of adult social services and children’s services in Thurrock, left the local authority at the end of March.
Though she won praise in some quarters for her performance in social services, the borough’s recent record on education has not been so impressive with a string of schools descending into special measures.
And there was the whole messy episode involving Tilbury Manor primary which ended with a disastrous appearance at the council’s audit committee.
Ms Olsson was supposed to start as education boss at Camden council on April 2nd.
Some people may have questioned why Camden, with its high performing primary schools was taking on someone who had left with Thurrock primary schools in the bottom three in the country?
Camden has also a strong principle of retaining control of their schools and not letting them be converted into academies and free schools as had been the record in Thurrock.
Chief executive of Camden Council, Mike Cooke has issued a statement. Mr Cooke said: “Jo Olsson will not be taking up the post of director of children, schools and families for personal reasons.”
There had been reports that a compensation package of a years salary had been agreed with Ms Olsson however that has been categorically denied.
