North Lanarkshire Council’s Service and People First change programme took another important step forward this week with the appointment of Mary Castles as the new Executive Director of Housing and Social Work services.

This appointment is the final one of the five new executive directorships introduced as part of the Service and People First change programme which will see the council restructured from 1 April into five key service areas, each overseen by a new executive director: Finance and Customer Services; Corporate Services; Environmental Services; Learning and Leisure Services; and Housing and Social Work Services. This latest appointment means that 40 per cent (2 of the 5) of these posts have been filled by women.

Service and People First aims to increase efficiency savings (£50 million over the next five years) and to improve the quality of service that the people of North Lanarkshire experience from their council. The newly created Housing and Social Work services aims to deliver even more responsive, streamlined and integrated services.

Mrs Castles will take up her new job on 1 April when she will step down from her current role as assistant chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council with responsibility for community regeneration. In this post she led a number of key developments including; implementing the council’s regeneration strategy, community planning, implementing the Antisocial Behaviour Act and overseeing the provision of integrated children’s services.

Commenting on her new appointment, Mary said, "I am absolutely delighted at being appointed to this post and look forward to working with my new team to create a place where everyone has access to good quality housing, caring and co-ordinated support and the level of health services that meet people's needs."

"This is an exciting time for the council and our new service will build on the substantial progress made to date and play an important role in shaping the way forward for the next few years, pursuing best practice and developing innovative ways to meet the challenges of delivering efficient and effective housing and social work services for all our residents."

Mrs Castles, from Kirkshaws in Coatbridge, started her career in local government in 1979 as a rent collector with Monklands District Council and has progressed gradually through various departments while undertaking a range of courses of study at the same time.

In 1990, she moved from the district council to Strathclyde Regional Council as an executive officer for community development and, in 1991, was promoted to the post of sub-regional officer for Lanark Division. Her appointment as assistant chief executive for North Lanarkshire Council came in 1995 at local government reorganisation.

Mrs Castles is also the Society of Local Authority Chief Executive’s (SOLACE) portfolio holder for Health Improvement and is chair of North Lanarkshire Community Safety Partnership. She is married with two grown-up children and two grandchildren.

"We are delighted that Mary has been appointed", said Councillor Jim McCabe, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council. "She has an impressive track record of delivering results and will bring a great deal of knowledge, energy and enthusiasm to this crucial new role."

Gavin Whitefield, Chief Executive of North Lanarkshire Council, added: "I have worked with Mary for many years and have every confidence that she will be a success in her new post and make a very significant contribution to the overall Service and People First programme."