Present at the meeting:
- Councillor P R C Smith (Chair)
- Councillor B Merry
- Councillor R Clayton
- Councillor C Ready
- Councillor K Cunliffe
- Councillor J Miller
- Councillor Mrs S Loudon
9 Appointment of Chairman: The Committee appoints Councillor P R C Smith as Chairman.
10 Exclusion of the public - Section 100a Local Government Act 1972: Resolved: The public is excluded from the meeting when the Committee discusses the following item for the reason set out below:
|
Agenda item no. |
Title of report |
Minute No. |
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 |
| E1 |
Appointment of Service Directors – Adult Services and Environmental Services |
12 |
1 (Information about any named person)
The public interest in making the exception is that it is not conducive to proper interview if details of candidates' confidential life and terms of employment are to be made public. |
11 Council management structural changes – overview: The Chairman agreed to this additional item being taken as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to progress this issue, which set the context for the selection and appointment process on the agenda.
The Executive Director – Business Support Services outlined the Chief Executive’s proposals for the finalisation of an Executive Director and Service Director structure for the Council and the exercising of delegated powers by the Chief Executive. Such a structure was already in place for Business Support Services and Chief Executives Services following the Support Services Review. The structure and reform programme in Environmental Services was well underway and the Director of Environmental Services had been operating in this Executive Director role since the start of the year. For Children and Young People Services (CYPS) the new role would commence in September 2008. For Adult Services further discussions with the Primary Care Trust (PCT) as a consequence of the failure to appoint a Director for the Single Commissioning Agency were required. The Council’s target date for the new structure was April 2009.
The Committee was advised that the second tier implementation of Service Directors was now almost complete, with decisions made on assimilation to the next tier of Service Director posts in CYPS, Adult Services and Environmental Services in accordance with the principles developed as part of the Support Service Review. A new Service Director (Wigan Schools for the Future) had been recruited as part of the new structure for CYPS.
The following posts had been determined as having a strong correlation with existing duties and responsibilities:-
- Service Director Children and Young People’s Services - Strategy and Commissioning (CYPS) / existing post of Deputy Director CYPS;
- Service Director Regeneration and Communities (Environment) / existing Head of Regeneration and Protection; and
- Service Director Personalisation and Community Services (Adults) / existing Assistant Director (Older People).
The postholders would commence their new duties on 1 September 2008. The introduction of all tiers of the new structure would be complete by 1 April 2009. The following posts were therefore advertised within an internal ring-fence:-
- Service Director – Development (Environmental Services)
- Service Director – Neighbourhoods (Environmental Services)
- Service Director – Efficiency, Improvement and Market Development (Adult Services)
The post of Director – Single Commissioning Agency, which was a joint post with the PCT, had been advertised externally without an appointment being made. The Chief Executive and Director of Adult Services were currently considering what interim arrangements to put in place.
The post of Service Director - Transformation (CYPS) would be advertised externally as neither of the two remaining individuals eligible under the ring fence arrangements has expressed an interest in the position.
The Committee considered the report and raised questions to which the Chief Executive responded.
Resolved: The Committee endorses the proposed changes to the Council’s management structure and the exercising of delegated powers by the Chief Executive.
12 Appointment of Service Directors: The Committee considered applications for the posts of Service Director for Adult Services and Service Director for Environmental Services.
Resolved: The Committee agrees:-
- to invite one applicant for the post of Service Director – Efficiency, Improvement and Market Development, Adult Services to an assessment centre;
- to invite one applicant for the post of Service Director – Development, Environmental Services to an assessment centre;
- to invite one applicant for the post of Service Director – Neighbourhoods, Environmental Services to an assessment centre; and
- that following the assessment centre, which takes place on 15 August 2008, officers will provide feedback to the Committee.
