The man in charge of children's education in Brighton and Hove will stay on in his post after he lost an election to head a teachers' union.

Director of children, families and schools, David Hawker, announced he would leave Brighton and Hove City Council in December after he was nominated by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) executive to lead the union.

However, last Friday members voted more than two-to-one in favour of a rival candidate to be their general secretary.

Mr Hawker, 50, who is married with two children who attend schools in Lewes, went through a rigorous selection and interview process with the executive. He would have been confirmed leader if an alternative candidate had not been put forward with support from at least three regions.

The subsequent challenge by Nottinghamshire headteacher Mick Brookes forced last Friday's election by postal vote. Mr Hawker lost with 4,374 votes to 8,863.

Mr Hawker, who would have officially resigned from the council on Saturday and served a three-month notice period if he had won, will now stay on at the council.

He said: "I am obviously disappointed. I think the members feel the leadership of the NAHT has let them down over the workforce agreement. I think perhaps the fact they voted for an alternative candidate was a symptom of that.

"However, I have a very exciting job here in Brighton and Hove, which I love, and I can now look forward to carrying on the development of children's services which we began three years ago."

Pat Hawkes, chairwoman of the children, families and schools sub committee, said: "I am pleased he is staying with us because we are only half way through our journey. We want to see the children's centres up and running and the Children's Trust implemented fully. David has worked very hard on this."

Last month the NAHT pulled out of a deal to reduce teachers' workload by allowing them time out of lessons for planning and marking after grassroots members ignored the union's advice and voted to leave the agreement.

NAHT leaders said schools could not afford to guarantee teachers time out from lessons and wasn't prepared to make some redundant to find the extra cash.

Mr Brookes backed withdrawal from the deal and called for the union to be more critical in its relationship with the Government.