Head of education to retire after 37 years with the OIC

Orkney Island Council’s executive director of education, leisure and housing is to retire later this year.

Leslie Manson is the longest serving of Scotland’s current education directors – and is Orkney’s second longest serving director of education. He is also the OIC’s deputy chief executive.

Mr Manson, who was awarded an MBE last year in recognition of his services to Scottish education and the community in Orkney, will retire in May.

OIC chief executive Alistair Buchan said: “Leslie has been a loyal and dedicated servant of the council in a period of service which these days can only be described as outstanding.

“In that time, he has led an education service which is amongst the best in the country and for the last few years in particular has made a much wider contribution to the work of the council in his capacity as depute chief executive.

“I am grateful to Leslie, personally, for the wise counsel and support he has given in this role. We wish him all the very best in his retirement and as he looks to new horizons”

Mr Manson said: “I’m very proud to work for the Council and, as a former pupil of Kirkwall Grammar School, there is no better way to end my career than to have seen the opening of the new KGS, one of four fantastic facilities for Orkney created through the Schools Investment Programme.”