Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee

25 April 2022

Report of the Director of Customer & Communities

Recruitment of Assistant Director of Customer & Communities

Summary

1 The current Assistant Director of Customer & Communities is retiring on 31^st August 2022. This report makes proposals to permanently recruit to this post which was established as part of the new council management team restructure in April 2021.

2 Approval is sought to establish an Appointment Sub-Committee for Chief Officer Appointments and to delegate sufficient powers to that Sub-Committee. This is to enable them to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint candidates, subject to the requirements of the standing orders on appointment.

3 The report also asks for approval to engage North Yorkshire County Council Resourcing Team.

Background

4. The current structure established from April 2021 is as follow:

With the following specific responsibilities:

5. The postholder also directly leads on:

· the council’s relationship with the cultural and heritage sector to deliver the city’s cultural strategy including management of relevant client management arrangements such as those in place for Make It York;

· the council’s relationship with the voluntary, community and faith sectors, working with York CVS to create a shared vision and strategy for the sector;

· lead the council’s contribution to equalities and human rights partnership arrangements.

6. Whilst the structure works well with the current direct officer reports – it is clear that the directorate requires a deputy Director to cover all the functions in the absence of the Director and strategic joint delivery of all the service plans and priorities. Subject to further discussions with portfolio holders the job description with be adjusted to make clear that there is a deputising responsibility for the remaining direct reports. In addition, the responsibilities around diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) will be reviewed and where appropriate strengthened, taking line management of the council’s new Access Officer role and with an objective to create further capacity and strengthen arrangement for DEI plans strategically and within all council services.

Remuneration Package

7. As this post is to be externally advertised as a vacancy the Committee is asked to confirm the pay package for this post which will be offered as part of the recruitment process.

8. Once the job description is finalised it is fully expected to fall within the existing Assistant Director pay grade of £74,591 to £82,869. Whilst the 2021/22 pay award has only recently been settled a pay award for 2022/23 will be subject to national pay negotiations. The role will have access to the standard set of Chief Officer Terms and Conditions. It is also proposed that relocation costs may be reimbursed up to a maximum of £7,719 as per the council’s policy. There are no other enhancements recommended for this role.

Appointments Committee

9. The council’s Constitution allows for an Appointments Committee, including at least one member of the Executive, to interview applicants for a Chief Officer post and to determine who should be offered the vacant posts.

10. To attract the strongest field of candidates with the right knowledge and skills it is recommended that North Yorkshire County Council Resourcing Team carry out the external recruitment exercise, and are engaged to support the Appointments Sub-Committee.

Council Plan

11. Making an appointment to this post will contribute to delivering the Council Plan and its priorities.

Implications

12. Thefollowing implications have been considered:

· Financial

The cost of associated recruitment will be managed within existing departmental budgets. The budget for the salary at the existing grade is fully funded.

· Human Resources (HR) – The job description for the post will be resubmitted and subjected to the council’s established job evaluation mechanism. Any changes to the job description are expected to be minor and therefore no change in grade is expected. The Appointments Committee is in line with the constitutional requirements for the recruitment and appointment of Chief Officers. The appointment will be carried out in accordance with the Chief Officer recruitment protocol.

· Equalities - There are no equalities implications relating to the impact of this report excepting that the equalities and inclusion aspects of the job description will be strengthened which will impact positively on all residents with protected characteristics under equalities legislation.

· Legal –

All Chief Officer posts are politically restricted pursuant to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

It is the statutory responsibility of the Head of Paid Service to ensure that a structure is in place which can effectively and efficiently discharge the council’s differing functions and to determine the organisation of the authority’s staff alongside their proper appointment and management.

The process of appointing Chief Officers is regulated by the Local Authority (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations 2001. Amongst other things, these regulations require that an appointment committee must include at least one member of the Executive and further, that no formal offer of appointment may be made until all members of the Executive have been informed of the details of the intended appointee, and have raised no objection within the specified period, (usually 5 clear days).

In respect of appointment to Chief Officer posts, the Council is required to comply with the Officer employment procedures as outlined in the council’s Constitution.

· Section 4D: Appointment and Dismissal of Staff Part 3, of the council’s Constitution states:

Recruitment of Head of Paid Service and Chief Officers

3.1 This Standing Order applies to the appointment of all Chief Officer posts including temporary appointments. It does not apply, however, where it is proposed that the appointment be made exclusively from among the Council’s existing officers.

3.2 Before an appointment is made the Council will:

(a) draw up a statement specifying the duties of the officer concerned and any qualifications or qualities to be sought in the person to be appointed;

(b) make arrangements for the post to be advertised in such a way as is likely to bring it to the attention of the persons who are qualified to apply for it; and

3.3 A Chief Officer Appointments Sub Committee will either interview all qualified applicants for the post or select a shortlist of such applicants and interview those included on the shortlist. The Appointments Committee must include at least one Member of the Executive.

3.4 Where no qualified person has applied or, the Appointments Committee determines that it has not identified a sufficient shortlist to proceed to interview, the Council will make further arrangements for an advertisement.

· Crime and Disorder – There are no crime and disorder implications.

· Information Technology (IT) – There are no IT implications.

· Property – There are no property implications.

· Other – There are no other implications

Risk Management

13. The risk of no or delayed appointment could risk delivery against the Council Plan and its priorities.

Recommendations

14. It is recommended that the Committee:

a. confirms the pay package for the vacant role to be advertised for the Assistant Director Customer & Communities;

b. establishes an Appointments Sub-Committee for the role. To delegate sufficient powers to the Sub-Committee enabling them to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint a candidate, subject to the requirements of the standing orders on appointment;

c. approves the engagement of the North Yorkshire County Council Resourcing Team to undertake the recruitment and selection process.

Reason: To allow timely appointment to the vacant post of Assistant Director Customer & Communities in line with the council’s Constitution and relevant legislation.

Contact Details

Author

Pauline Stuchfield

Director of Customer & Communities

Pauline.stuchfield@york.gov.uk

Helen Whiting

Head of HR & OD

Human Resources

Ext 1622

Chief Officer Responsible for the Report

Ian Floyd

Chief Operating Officer

Report X Date 10/4/2022

Approved

Specialist Implications Officer(s):

Janie Berry – Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

Debbie Mitchell – Chief Finance Officer and s151 Officer

Wards Affected : List all wards or tick box to indicate all All

For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers :