Agenda item

Interim arrangements for the cover of the Assistant Director of Adult Social Care

This report seeks approval to allow the Interim Corporate Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care to progress recruitment for an interim Assistant Director, Adult Social Care without the need for an appointments sub-committee.

Minutes:

Members considered a report that sought approval to allow the Interim Corporate Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care to progress recruitment for an interim Assistant Director, Adult Social Care without the need for an appointments sub-committee, but through either a secondment or a combination of acting up arrangements from amongst the council’s existing employees, which was in line with paragraph 3.1, section 4d of the Councils constitution.

 

The Interim Corporate Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care and Head of Human Resources attended the meeting to present the report. They confirmed the current role of Assistant Director of Adult Social Care provided senior management and leadership for the following Adult Social Care service areas:

 

·        Assessment and care management;

·        Safeguarding,

·        Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Provision

·        Provider services. 

 

In response to Member questions officers stated:

 

·        ‘Interim’ would be until the substantive Corporate Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care was in post, which was estimated to be in January 2019;

·        That the constitution stated a sub-committee was not necessary for an appointment where it was being made from existing officers;

·         Until an internal advert was out it was difficult to know who may be interested in the role and what skill base they had. This made it challenging to make decision as the best solution to create capacity, whether that be one person or several covering the role;

·        It was important to make this decision based on the skill base of those applying, rather than the practicalities of recruitment;

·        Executive Members would be involved in the process in a meaningful way, as had happened previously; and

·        A sub-committee would be convened for substantive appointments.

 

Councillor Aspden stated that there were two options to fill this role, either one person being appointed to cover the role on an interim basis, or several people taking on different parts of the role. He felt that if one person was being appointed to the role there was a strong case to convene an appointments sub-committee. He also felt that the report was too vague and too open. He stated that if Officers were not certain they could appoint one person internally with the right skills then the role should also be advertised externally.

 

Other Members were content that, as this was a short term appointment and the substantive Corporate Director post had already been recruited to, it was not necessary to convene a sub-committee. Appointing internally would allow that Officer, or several Officers, to step up and develop.

 

Members thanked officers for their update and they agreed that appointing to this post, on an interim basis, until the secondment of the substantive post holder came to an end would ensure the Council could fulfil its duties in Adult Social Care.

 

Resolved:  That it be approved that the Interim Corporate Director can progress the backfilling of the Assistant Director Adult Social Care, from amongst current Officers, on a temporary basis without the need for an appointment sub committee, in line with paragraph 3.1, section 4d of the constitution and that Executive Members would be involved.

 

Reason:     To progress the appointment and reduce risks highlighted in the report in relation to this critical role.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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