DAVID McGahey, the retiring director of education for Buckinghamshire County Council, has called on the authority to spend more money on the service.

He spoke out at his farewell party last Friday at Missenden Abbey, Great Missenden, telling headteachers and other professionals working in education that increased funding would turn the county council into a "brilliant authority".

Mr McGahey said: "The task is to make things better for the children. We have a very strong education service in this county, but it could be a brilliant one if the county council could tackle one of the big issues. Fundamentally it's school funding."

Mr McGahey quit the county council because he did not like the changes made when services were rearranged in November.

Education now comes under three headings, with three cabinet members in charge schools, children's services and community services.

He added: "All you need to do to turn it into a brilliant authority is to take education funding back to the average for county authorities.

"Then the already very high results would be higher again."

The new set-up for eduction under the LEA will be reconsidered over the next few months and any further changes will come in May after the county council elections.

Mr McGahey said: "I am not sure that county hall has changed for the best.

"I wouldn't have carved up children's services in the way they have been and I feel that needs to be reconsidered when the pilot stage is over."

He said the country as a whole was suffering debilitating problems in recruiting and keeping teachers.

Mr McGahey has taken a job in the private sector working for Amey's, better known as a construction company, but now diversifying into providing education services, such as running failing schools.

Mr McGahey will be running this, so could still be back.

He has also agreed to become a governor of Buckingham Upper School, close to where he lives.