DR CAROL Tozer has announced her retirement from her post as director of adult social care and housing needs at the Isle of Wight Council.

Praising her team's "professional skill" and "unstinting hard work", as well as that of the independent care sector, Dr Tozer said it had been a privilege to lead the department since December 2016.

However, she said ongoing ill health following major spinal surgery last year had led her to make the difficult decision to stand down.

She said: "Mine is not a job that can be done part time and so, after discussions with my family, I have decided to retire from full time work in local government.

"I have worked in social care for more than 30 years and it has been my life’s calling.

"I came into this professional area because of experiences in my own family — and I have never lost that overriding passion to make a positive difference to disabled, mentally ill or frail elders and their carers."

Dr Tozer said the past decade had been particularly challenging for the social care and housing sector with councils doing their best to prioritise adult social care and homelessness in the face of significant resource reductions and rising needs.

She said her own team had remained "focussed, creative and effective" in meeting people's needs throughout her tenure and highlighted the council's 'Care Close to Home' strategy, recognised nationally as among the best in class.

Dr Tozer came under the spotlight earlier this year in a list put together by the Taxpayers' Alliance, which revealed she was among the Island's high earning council members.

Data showed she earned £147,230 for 2019/20 — the second highest of all Isle of Wight Council officers.

Salaries under the spotlight — Who's on the County Hall rich list?

John Metcalfe, the council's chief executive, paid tribute to Dr Tozer's crucial leadership role, overseeing transformational change in adult social care on the Island.

He said: "Carol has been an inspiration, driving through changes and improvements — in really challenging times — to health and social care.

"I want to thank her for all her efforts and know all the team here at the council, the wider health sector and beyond will wish her well in her retirement. She will be sorely missed."