Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Kit Taylor was substitute for Councillor Kyle Daisley.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Kyle Daisley.

Councillor Marcus Hart was elected Chairman.

Councillor Tracey Onslow was elected Vice-Chairman.

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.

When the Council reviewed its chief officer structure in September 2019, it agreed that the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) would be a designated role within Worcestershire Children First and assigned to the Chief Executive of WCF to hold the statutory office and perform the role of DCS on behalf of the Council.

This arrangement was managed by a tri-party agreement between the Council, Worcestershire Children First and the nominated Director of Children’s Services.  The Appointments Etc Panel acted on behalf of the Council in appointing to Chief Officer posts, in this case the statutory post of Director of Children’s Services.

At its meeting on 18 December 2020 the Appointments Etc Panel had agreed to appoint Tina Russell to the post of Director of Children’s Service on an interim basis.

The Secretary of State had subsequently delegated appointment of the Chief Executive of WCF to the Chair of its Board.  The permanent post had been advertised widely and applications shortlisted by a Panel comprising the Chair of the Board and WCC Chief Executive in consultation with the CMR for Children’s Services and the WCC Strategic HR and OD Business Partner.

The Panel considered in detail the recruitment process which had been carried out, and

RESOLVED: that

(a)  the tri-party arrangement continue between Worcestershire Children First (WCF), the Council and the nominated Director of Children’s Services (DCS);

(b)  Tina Russell be appointed to the post of Director of Children’s Services on behalf of WCC; and

(c)  the Chief Executive be delegated authority to engage in the tri-party agreement, on behalf of the Council, with Tina Russell.