The Shaw Trust has recruited a public sector social services professional as its chief executive to succeed Ian Charlesworth who was ousted in a bitter row a year ago.

Sally Burton (pictured) is currently on secondment from Solihull NHS Care Trust, leading a programme of independent case note reviews for families in Mid Staffordshire. She was the Trust’s first chief executive and has over 25 years experience working in the public sector.

Her career has included stints of 12 years in social services in Birmingham and five years as a civil servant with the Department of Health.

She also worked as head of older peoples services for Coventry City Council, and was part of the team that improved adult services from special measures to three stars.

When she joins the Shaw Trust in November, she will have a short handover period with outgoing director general Tim Pape, who founded the charity.  Pape will then move into the honorary position of president.

Charlesworth was put on gardening leave in August last year after he disagreed with trustees over the future direction of the charity.  He later went to work at Futurebuilders as enterprise director, a role that was created specifically for him.