THE new woman at the helm of Darlington Borough Council has outlined some of her aspirations for the future of the area.

Chief executive Ada Burns has taken up her post at the town hall this week after moving from the London borough of Greenwich.

She has targeted education as a major area to focus on.

The performances of the town's secondary schools have come under fire in recent months, with many not achieving the levels expected.

The debate over the future of Hurworth School has also been given a high profile, as villagers continue to fight to keep it in their local community.

Ms Burns said: "It's a council priority to raise the achievement of Darlington children and that is key to the borough's on-going prosperity and regeneration.

"Children need to leave school well-equipped for the future. It is something I will take a significant interest in."

She is also keen to help Darlington enhance its reputation as one of the most attractive locations for investment in the North-East.

"It's very evident, with developments like Central Park taking shape, that Darlington has some really exciting and interesting times ahead," she said.

Ms Burns said she was looking forward to a different challenge after moving from London.

"One of the things about working in inner London is that the scale of the problems is such that you feel it's hard to make a difference," she said.

"But the council here is very much on top of things and has a strong ethos of partnership working."