The Government troubleshooter brought in to review Stoke-on-Trent City Council's troubled children's services department is being paid £800-a-day.

Eleanor Brazil has been sent in by the Department for Education (DfE) after a damning Ofsted report rated the council's children's services as 'inadequate'.

Inspectors highlighted ‘widespread and serious failures’, young people being at risk of ‘significant harm’, and poor leadership.

The council has been given four months to improve its children’s social care - or the authority could be stripped of running the failing service.

Eleanor Brazil is the new commissioner for children's services in Stoke-on-Trent
Eleanor Brazil is the new commissioner for children's services in Stoke-on-Trent

Now a StokeonTrentLive investigation has revealed Ms Brazil will be paid £800-a-day as commissioner for the city's children's services. That figure includes expenses, but excludes VAT.

Her contract started on May 7 and runs until September 9 for a maximum of 43 days. The total number of days Ms Brazil works will be decided by the DfE, Ms Brazil and the council.

The maximum Ms Brazil could earn before tax is £34,400. The average annual salary in Stoke-on-Trent is £21,220.

Her brief includes assessing the council’s ‘capacity and capability to improve itself’ and to recommend any additional support that may be needed. She will also look at whether the service should be run by a trust.

The Government improvement adviser is no stranger to Stoke-on-Trent after serving as interim director of children’s services between 2012 and 2013.

She is known for turning round failing council departments and has previously worked at Haringey in the wake of the Baby P scandal and in trouble-plagued Birmingham.

Reacting to the eye-watering daily wage, TaxPayers' Alliance chief executive John O'Connell said: "It's sometimes necessary to bring in consultants to improve services, as someone with the right skills and experience can make a huge difference and save taxpayers' money in the long term. However, taxpayers will hope that by paying such a large amount in fees for outside expertise, they will get good value for money and see some genuine improvements to services."

The salary is being paid by the DfE rather than by the city council.

A council spokesman said it wasn't appropriate for them to comment on the wages of someone who is not employed by the local authority.

But they stressed the council was 'fully committed to working with Ofsted and the commissioner in making the rapid changes needed to bring improvements'.

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