Mrs Mulvany was previously the head of the council’s school standards group and takes over from acting director, Jack Bennett. She has spent 32 years in education in a variety of senior local education authority posts in Lancashire, Barnsley, Bolton, Kirklees, Greater Manchester and Birmingham.

She has also been a headteacher of schools in Lancashire and Barnsley.

Mrs Mulvany will also be responsible for Lancashire’s museums, libraries, records office, youth and community service and the arts service.

THE Countess of Wessex will be the new Patron of the Dyslexia Institute, which was founded 30 years ago. It now has 26 assessment and teaching centres throughout the UK, as well as 160 outposts, designed to reach and help dyslexic people wherever they live and work.

In addition, the institute trains specialist teachers, develops educational materials and conducts national research projects. For further information go to www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk.