Agenda Item No:

Date:   04 August 09

 

 

 

 

NOT FOR PUBLICATION because it contains

 

To the Chair and Members of the

 

CHIEF OFFICERS APPOINTMENTS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE COMMITTEE

 

CHIEF OFFICER - RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS.

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

 1.        This report is to inform the Chief Officer Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee of the proposal to recruit to five established Chief Officer Posts.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

 2.        It is recommended that the Committee approve the recruitment and selection process as outlined within this report.

    

BACKGROUND

 

 3.        Key posts within the Chief Officer top management structure have been filled on a temporary basis, and are awaiting permanent recruitment, they are:-

 

Director of Finance

Director of Legal and Democratic Services

Director of Leisure & Culture

Assistant Director Commercial Operations

Assistant Director Regeneration

 4.        All of these posts have been covered through an acting up or temporary arrangement, either since the restructure or subsequently, as a result of posts becoming vacant.

 

 5.        It was always intended that permanent appointments would be made to these positions.  However, there were other posts within the Chief Officer structure that were to be filled more urgently and therefore these were given priority.  Specifically two key positions within Children and Young Peoples Services, the Director Children’s Services, and Assistant Director, although no appointment was made on either occasion.  More recently, the recruitment and appointment of a Director of Resources who will commence his appointment in September 2009 and will manage three of the four posts outlined.  It is now considered appropriate and timely to recruit to these positions on a permanent basis.

 

CHIEF OFFICER POSTS – CHILDREN’S SERVICES

 

 6.        Governance arrangements are currently being agreed for Children’s Services which will then allow recruitment to commence.  In addition market testing is being carried out to ascertain the levels of interest in the post of Director of Children’s Services and direct reports at Assistant Director level.  It is intended that once these processes are complete a further report will be presented to this Committee for approval.

 

THE PROCESS FOR CHIEF OFFICER APPOINTMENTS

 

 7.        It is recommended that the established Council recruitment process is followed. In the first instance consideration should be given to applications from Chief Officers at risk of redundancy from across the Council.  Anyone meeting the essential requirements for the post will receive a priority interview or, where there is more than one candidate suitable, a competitive interview.  This is in line with the Council’s redeployment process.

 

 8.        Following on from this, it is proposed that remaining posts are advertised internally across the Council.  All internal applications will then be presented to the Chief Officer Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee and a short-list agreed for interview.  At this stage, if applicants do not meet the essential criteria for the post then external advertising will commence immediately for that specific post.  Where candidates are short-listed, The Chief Officer Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee will then be convened to interview the agreed candidates.

 

 9.        The Head of Paid Services and/or relevant Director should be involved throughout the recruitment process and will offer views/advice on the suitability of candidates.

 

10.       There are employees at Chief Officer level who will be at risk of redundancy, therefore will require prior consideration to safeguard the Council against unnecessary redundancies.

 

11.       Where there are a number of appointments to be made it is good practice to consider first those at risk of redundancy and then internal candidates, this will avoid additional recruitment expenditure unless this is absolutely necessary.

 

12.       It is considered likely that the skills and ability exists within our current workforce to fill these posts.  The process supports effective succession planning by giving opportunities to internal candidates in the first instance who have demonstrated competence.

 

TIMESCALES

 

13.       It is proposed that internal advertisements seeking applications for these posts will be circulated August 2009.  Following on from this a Chief Officers Appointments and Conditions of Service short-listing meeting is scheduled for week commencing 31 August 2009 and that any final Chief Officer Appointments and Conditions of Service interviews are scheduled week commencing 28 September and/or week commencing 5 October 2009.

 

OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDED OPTION

 

14.       It is essential that the Council seeks to fill all vacancies at Chief Officer level as soon as possible in order to provide stability at the top of the organisation.

 

Option 1:  A full external recruitment process could be undertaken but that would be expensive and may be unnecessary in the first instance.  Also, this would be contrary to the Council’s Recruitment and Selection Policy and Redeployment Policy.

 

Option 2.  Internal recruitment for all posts in the first instance. It is considered likely that the skills and ability exists within the Council to fill these posts and there are individuals working at this level who are currently at risk.  Potentially this will safeguard the Council against unnecessary redundancies, will support effective succession planning and will avoid recruitment expenditure unless this proves necessary. Therefore to give first opportunity to all internal applicants is the recommended option.

 

IMPACT ON THE COUNCIL’S KEY OBJECTIVES

 

15.       Although this recruitment process in itself has no direct impact on the          Council’s key objectives, the successful candidate will have an impact,          as below:-

 

Doncaster Priorities	Implications of this initiative
A Prosperous Place
Skills & Lifelong Learning
Healthy & Caring
Safer, Cleaner & Greener
Equality of Opportunity (Cross-Cutting)
Improving Neighbourhoods Together (Cross-cutting)
Protecting The Environment (Cross-cutting)
Achieving Excellence	These posts have the potential to have a direct and major impact on the quality of Leadership and service delivery across the Council. reputation with the public and media and also to improve communications within and outside the Council, supporting clear and effective leadership.

 

 

 

 

 

RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS

 

16.       There are risks associated with not recruiting to these posts in terms of stability and effective leadership for the Council. There are no other risks associated with this report.    

            

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

17.       The appointment of Chief Officers should be compliant with the           Council’s Employment Procedure Rules and the Recruitment and           Selection Policy and Redeployment Policy. Failure to comply with the Councils redeployment policy by not giving a priority interview to Chief Officers meeting the essential requirements and at risk of redundancy will make the Council vulnerable to claims of unfair dismissal and potentially discrimination claims.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

18.       The full costs of the recruitment exercise, including those associated with this final stage of recruitment are expected to be minimal as all processes will be dealt with internally.

 

19.       Should the Council decide to move to external recruitment for any of these posts, a cost of approximately £20k per post will be incurred.  Any such expenditure will be met from service budgets.

 

CONSULTATION

 

20.       Consultation has taken place with CMT, the relevant Chief Officers and Human Resources, to agree a reasonable selection process that is appropriate to the circumstances.     

 

21.       This report has significant implications in terms of the following:-

 

Procurement		Crime & Disorder
Human Resources	X	Human Rights & Equalities
Buildings, Land and Occupiers		Environment & Sustainability
ICT		Capital Programme

 

The Human Resource implications are as detailed throughout this report.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

Chief Officers Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee:

Restructure of Top Tier Management – 16 and 24 September 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPORT AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTORS

 

Cath Winfield, Head Organisational Development

Tel.  01302 737030  cath.winfield@doncaster.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kay Leigh

Director of People and Performance Improvement