TV Apprentice sought for council

The Apprentice's runner-up may land a job with Essex County Council

The runner-up in this year's final of BBC show The Apprentice will be offered a council job in Essex.

Essex County Council said it had promised to create a position to "challenge the perception of working for a local authority".

It said it would be a boost for the county where Sir Alan Sugar's firm Amstrad - at which the four finalists are competing to work - is also based.

The final episode of the programme is on BBC One on Wednesday night.

Claire Young, Lee McQueen, Helene Speight and Alex Wotherspoon have all made it to the final of the series.

'Best and brightest'

The council said the exact job description remained flexible as it would be based on the strengths of the runner-up.

Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, said: "Essex County Council is as ambitious as any private company.

"We unashamedly want the best and brightest to come and work for us.

"Perceptions need to change. Working in local government is every bit as challenging and rewarding, if not more so, than the private sector.

"This is an organisation with a �2bn annual spend, employing 38,000 staff within a multitude of disciplines.

"Sir Alan Sugar's company is based right here in Essex - so this is about the ambition of the county as a whole, both private and public sector working together, to deliver the best possible quality of life for the people of Essex."

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