Doncaster social care boss Damian Allen voted in by councillors to replace departing chief Jo Miller

Former adult and children's social care boss Damian Allen, was voted in by councillors at a special meeting of the full council on Thursday (June 6).

Deputy mayor Glyn Jones praised Allen’s application and interview and said a cross-party set of councillors unanimously approved his recommendation for him to be appointed.

The vote was carried unopposed.

Allen joined Doncaster Council as director of people - which includes health and social care and education in 2015 - from the island of Jersey.

Before that, he held the top education job at Knowsley Council in Merseyside.

Allen is one of Doncaster Council's top earners pulling in £124,000 in basic salary with a £18,840 pension contribution.

He takes over from Jo Miller who is leaving to take up a similar role at Hutt City Council near Wellington, New Zealand.

Allen begins his tenure next Monday but officially takes over running the council on July 1.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Allen said: “The mayor has raised two or three important points in the times that we are in and the need for the borough to be sustainable with some challenges about funding.

"But she also identified with some of the more global challenges of the climate emergency and the intention to bring back a motion in September’s council meeting.

“In between them, it’s about having some fundamental conversations with people, community groups and also recognising the voice of young people who are tomorrow’s generations is a critical one that needs to be heard.

“Out of which, other priorities will emerge but one of the key objectives that the mayor said was to refresh the Doncaster Growing Together Strategy for next March and that’s where I imagine, after having the conversation with the mayor, is where a lot of my attention will be focused.”