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Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee |
2 October 2023 |
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Report of the Chief Operating Officer
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Appointment of Corporate Director of Adults and Integration and associated Interim Arrangements.
Summary
1 This report requests the approval to permanently recruit to the post of Corporate Director of Adult Services and Integration ahead of the current post holder vacating the role in December 2023 following the acceptance of a post in another Council.
2 As such, formal approval is sought to establish an Appointments Sub Committee for this Chief Officer appointment and to delegate sufficient powers to that Sub-Committee to enable them to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint a candidate, subject to the requirements of the Council’s Constitution (Appendix 12 details the Officer Employment Procedure Rules – paragraph 5).
3 It is proposed that the recruitment process recruits the Corporate Director post on a like for like basis in terms of grade, portfolio scope, role, and responsibilities as per the current structure, with the only minor amendment that the Assistant Director reports to the Corporate Director rather than the Director of Adults Safeguarding. This does not change evaluations for these Chief Officer posts.
4. Given the statutory role status it is also requested that interim arrangements are made for the current Director of Adults Safeguarding to act up in the role of Corporate Director for a short period pending the outcome of the recruitment exercise. This acting up will be undertaken alongside the current Directors role as far as reasonably practical with the assistance of the Assistant Director of Adult Social Care.
5. This report also asks for approval to engage North Yorkshire County Council Resourcing Team in the recruitment process.
Background
6. This role was created as part of the review of the People Services Directorate and was appointed to in March 2022. The current postholder has led the directorate, developed a strong workforce, strengthened partnership working with key partners and reviewed commissioned services across the Council and identified savings.
7. This role alongside other Chief Officers roles will be subject to a structural review, however, given the importance of this role for both the Council, Health, and Place partners and that the Council must have a designated officer to take on the statutory role of Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) this role must be filled.
Remuneration Package
8. The post is covered by Chief Officer terms and conditions and the postholder will be a member of the Corporate Management Team.
9. The Committee is asked to confirm the pay package for this post which will be offered to the successful applicant. The salary is currently set within the Corporate Director grade range of £108,789 to £119,721.
10. If appropriate, the successful applicant would be able to access the Council’s relocation scheme, which provides relocation financial support up to the £8000. The Council’s scheme is in line with HRMC rules.
Appointments Panel
11. The Council’s Constitution allows for an Appointments Sub Committee for Chief Officer posts of no less than three elected members, including at least one member of the Executive (Council Constitution Article 11 paragraph 3.5).
12. Members are requested to consider and confirm panel nomination names and a Chair of the recruitment to progress. It is anticipated that the members appointment panel will take place as soon as practically possible hopefully around December 2023.
13. To attract the strongest field of candidates with the right knowledge and skills it is recommended that North Yorkshire Council Resourcing Team carry out the external recruitment exercise, and are engaged to support the Appointments Sub-Committee due to the teams experience of dealing with Chief officer appointments, they have also recently undertaken an exercise to recruit for an Adults Services Chief Officer post for North Yorkshire and will therefore, have an up to date knowledge of potential candidates.
Interim Arrangements
14. It is proposed that the role of Corporate Director and the Statutory role of DASS will be covered on an interim basis by the current Director of Adult Safeguarding supported by the Assistant Director of Adult Social Care as appropriate between the Corporate Director leaving and the new postholder starting. This will achieve some vacancy savings, the size of which will depend on when the current postholder leaves and the new postholder commences. The Chief Officer covering the role will ensure that priorities are delivered and ensure that the workforce is managed and supported during the interim period of a new appointment.
Council Plan
15. Making an appointment to this post will contribute to the delivery of the Council’s Plan 2023 (One City, for all), the 10 Year Plan for the City and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Labour Group pledges of health inequalities, environment, affordability human rights and equalities.
Implications
Financial Implications
16. The Corporate Director post is within the pay range of £108,789 to £119,721. The total cost, including on costs, is £139,249 to £153,242. The recruitment costs will be approximately £5500 to £8000 which includes the cost of advertising on professional social care / recruitment social media platforms. The cost of this post, and the associated recruitment costs, will be managed within existing departmental budgets.
17. For the interim cover, the difference between the current postholder’s grade (Director - £96,574 to £106,857) and the Corporate Director (as above) will be assigned and therefore, there will be a small saving and vacancy factor achieved between when the current post holder leaves and the new post holder commences.
Human Resources Implications
18. The job description has been confirmed via job evaluation to remain within the Corporate Director profiles. 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 as outlined in the Council’s Constitution.
Equalities Implications
19. The post will be recruited in accordance with the council’s Equalities Policy.
Legal Implications
20. 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 (as amended). 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.
Crime and Disorder, Information Technology and Property
21. There are no known crime and disorder, information and technology and property risks.
Risk Management
22. There are no known risks associated with the recommendations in the report other than the potential risk to delivery of services and delivery of the priorities identified in the Council Plan if the committee either fails to or delays setting up an Appointments Sub Committee for the recruitment of this post.
Recommendations
23. It is recommended that the Committee:
i. Confirms the pay package for the vacant role to be advertised for the Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Integration (paragraphs 8 to 10).
ii. 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 (paragraphs 11 to 12).
iii. Approves the engagement of the North Yorkshire County Council Resourcing Team to undertake the recruitment and selection process (paragraph 13).
iv. Approves the interim appointment of the Director of Adults Safeguarding to cover the role of Corporate Director of Adults and Integration and the statutory role the DASS (paragraphs 14).
Reason: To allow timely appointment to the vacant post of Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Integration in line with the council’s Constitution and relevant legislation.
Contact Details
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For further information please contact the author of the report
Background Papers:
Council Constitution - Appendix 12 details the Officer Employment Procedure Rules – paragraph 5
Council Constitution Article 11 paragraph 3.5.
https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s162755/Article%2011-%20Staffing%20Matters.pdf