ONE of Darlington Borough Council's most senior figures is retiring after eight years' service.
Education director Geoff Pennington will take early retirement next week, following a period which has seen major changes in the local system.
Mr Pennington, 53, paved the way for the transfer of responsibility for education services from Durham County Council to the new unitary authority of Darlington in 1997.
Most recently, he has been helping to set up the new children's services department, which becomes operational next month.
Originally from Carlisle, Mr Pennington began his career teaching history and politics in secondary schools in the Rochdale area for seven years, before moving to Durham County Council.
He then moved to Sunderland, where he held a number of senior management positions, before moving to Darlington in August 1996 to take up his first director's post.
He said: "It has been a tremendous challenge working here and one that I have enjoyed immensely."
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