Bradford Council's customer services boss, Wallace Sampson, has been appointed chief executive at Harrogate Council.

He will be leaving his strategic director's job later this summer.

Mr Sampson, 44, who earns between £102,000 and £112,000, said: "I have spent eight very happy and busy years at Bradford Council. I'm not leaving Bradford Council until the late summer and I expect to be very busy over the next few months making sure that customers get the services they need and want."

The Council's customer services managers were commended in the Local Government Chronicle management team of the year awards in 2005. Customer Services led the b-direct' One Stop Shop project.

Mr Sampson acted as the interim assistant chief executive of the Council from 2004 to 2006. More recently, he has taken lead responsibility for the Council's ten-year £160 million development of IT facilities - the Bradford-i project.

He added: "It has been a privilege to work with so many excellent colleagues."

Tony Reeves, the Council's chief executive, said: "Wallace Sampson has given eight years service to the people of Bradford. He has always worked very hard and has made a big difference to the accessibility and quality of the Council's services, for the benefit of all our customers.

"I think Wallace will make an excellent chief executive for Harrogate Council. Although I am sorry to see Wallace leave Bradford, I wish him success and happiness in his new job."