Agenda and minutes

None.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Mallett.

To authorise the procedure for confirming and signing the Minutes of this meeting.  It is recommended that the Minutes be circulated to Members of the Panel and be signed by the Chairman in light of any comments on their accuracy received within 7 days of their circulation.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of this meeting be circulated to Members of the Panel and be signed by the Chairman in the light of any comments on their accuracy received within 7 days of their circulation.

The Panel will be asked to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item as it is likely that exempt information relating to any individual will be disclosed and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

RESOLVED: that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item as it is likely that exempt information relating to any individual will be disclosed and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Summary of the proceedings during which the press and public were excluded (this is a fair summary of the proceedings and there are exempt minutes)

Proposals for Organisational Re-Design were approved at full Council on 12 September 2019.  An Appointments Panel on 27 September had approved the approach for appointment to Chief Officer posts in accordance with Council policies.  Consultation had begun with all Chief Officers and recognised Trade Unions on 4 October and closed on 2 November 2019.

Assistant Director for Communities

A new post of Assistant Director for Communities was created as part of the Re-Design, for which there was no match to current Chief Officers.  This was available for any Chief Officer who was not confirmed in post as part of the Re-Design.  Hannah Needham had applied for this position and the Panel considered her application against the job description and person specification for the post.  The Panel unanimously agreed to offer the position of Assistant Director for Communities to Hannah Needham.

Assistant Director Social Care

As part of the Re-Design the posts of Strategic Commissioner (Adults and Health) and Assistant Director (Adult Services) were deleted and a new post of Assistant Director for Social Care was created.  The post holders were placed in a “ringfenced” situation for the new post and the appointment was to be made by this Panel. 

The Panel interviewed the two candidates for the post and decided to offer it to Elaine Carolan.

Interim Strategic Director for People

Elaine Carolan had been appointed by the Appointments Panel to the post of Interim Director of Adult Services on 17 October 2019.  This post was being deleted as part of the Organisational Re-Design and a new post of Director for People created.

Elaine Carolan’s appointment as Interim Director of Adult Services was until the permanent appointment was made.  The new structure would become operational on 1 December and the Panel was recommended to confirm that she would act as Interim Strategic Director for People and continue to act as the statutory Director of Adult Social Services until the permanent appointment to the Strategic Director post was made.  The Panel agreed this recommendation.

The Panel RESOLVED that:

a)    The post of Assistant Director for Social Care be offered to Elaine Carolan, subject to formal written offer;

b)   The post of Assistant Director for Communities be offered to Hannah Needham, subject to formal written offer; and

c)    To confirm the current Interim Director of Adult Services and Statutory Director of Adult Social Services (DASS), Elaine Carolan, as the Interim Strategic Director for People.