A local authority shall appoint an officer, to be known as the director of social services, for the purposes of their social services functions.

Two or more local authorities may, if they consider that the same person can efficiently discharge, for both or all of them, the functions of director of social services, concur in the appointment of a person as director of social services for both or all of those authorities.

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The director of social services of a local authority shall not, without the approval of the Secretary of State (which may be given either generally or in relation to a particular authority), be employed by that authority in connection with the discharge of any of the authority’s functions other than their social services functions.

A local authority which have appointed, or concurred in the appointment of, a director of social services, shall secure the provision of adequate staff for assisting him in the exercise of his functions.

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Section 41 of the M1 Children Act 1948 (appointment ofchildren’s officer) shall cease to have effect.