A FORMER Huddersfield man was awarded a CBE for his work in local government.
Howard Cooper, former director of children’s services in Wirral, was given the award in the New Year Honours.
Born in Huddersfield and brought up in Mirfield, Mr Cooper has spent his teaching career on Merseyside.
He taught in Ellesmere Port, Huyton, St Helens and later Crosby.
He joined Wirral Council as a senior education inspector in 1990, later returning to teaching, before returning again to the council.
In 2003, he was appointed director of the-then education and cultural services department, and in 2006 became director of children's services in Wirral.
He is a former chairman of Wirral’s Local Safeguarding Children Board, chairman of Wirral’s Youth Justice Board, and has had regional involvement in the Child Health Programme and in Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
He is also a national council member of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services and chairs its policy committee for Workforce Development.
He is currently Interim Director of Wirral’s Department of Adult Services following the departure of its former director earlier this year.
