A SENIOR Worcestershire County Council director is stepping down today after 11 years in one of the authority’s highest profile jobs.

Eddie Clarke, head of the adult and community services department, is leaving this afternoon, with bosses paying tribute to his leadership.

He first joined County Hall in 2001 as head of older people and physical disability service and was promoted to his current role in 2007.

He said: “I distinctly remember, as a boy at primary school, that I wanted to do something that would help people, work towards making the world a better place and to make a difference.

“This stemmed from a number of early life experiences, when I realised that not all people are the same or have the same background, but that difference should be valued – for example going to a children's home for a friend's birthday.

“At first I just thought it was a very large house. From an early age, I decided I wanted to become a social worker - at that time not realising exactly what it meant.”

Mr Clarke, aged 59, who was born in Cheadle, Cheshire in 1953, attended Hull University between 1971 and 1974, studying a degree in social studies.

He then went onto his first job as a trainee social Worker for Coventry City Council in September 1974.

He qualified as a social worker at Leicester University in 1976 and he proudly retains his social worker registration.

In 1980, Eddie became manager of a residential home for adolescents, which included helping young people, who didn't want to or couldn't return home, to become independent.

Between 1982 and 1988 he worked as a social worker in the community, specialising in working with older people.

In 1988 he took on the role of area manager for Birmingham City Council's social services working with children and adults.

Spells then followed with councils in Bury and Manchester before arriving in Worcestershire.

Trish Haines, the chief executive, said: “Eddie has led an extremely important service area through a significant period of change, successfully managing challenging reductions in Government funding but always putting service users at the forefront of often tough decisions.

“His passion and commitment towards the well-being of service users over the years has led to an increasing level of high quality services.”

Mr Clarke took voluntary redundancy as part of a package of cuts to staffing at County Hall.

Dr Richard Harling, who overlooks health services at the moment, will become director of a new adult services and health directorate at County Hall.