Agenda item

To receive a report of the Chief Officer HR which outlines the process for the recruitment to the position of Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning).

(Please note that Appendix 3 to this report is designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1) and (2))

The Chief Officer (HR) submitted a report which presented a proposal to appoint to the currently vacant Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning) post and which set out a proposed recruitment schedule for the position. 

The Deputy Chief Officer (HR) together with a representative of Gatenby Sanderson were in attendance at the meeting in an advisory capacity.

Prior to discussing details of candidates being presented to the Committee, Members noted and provided a response to a specific concern raised by Councillor Lamb regarding the proposal to appoint to this position on a permanent basis given the currently changing nature of the education environment. The Committee also noted and responded to a comment raised by Councillor Cleasby in respect of commencing recruitment to this position prior to appointing an Acting Director of Children’s Services. 

Having considered the submitted report and appendices, the Committee undertook the formal recruitment process (long listing) for the position of Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning). 

RESOLVED – That 5 candidates be put forward to participate in an assessment centre, with the results from that assessment being submitted to the Committee, in order to enable Members to evaluate such results as part of an exercise to shortlist any appropriate candidates for the purposes of formal interview.

At this point, the meeting was adjourned and would be reconvened once the assessment centre had been held. 

The meeting was reconvened on Tuesday, 11^th Ocober 2016 (12.30pm).

Councillors Mulherin (Chair), Dowson, J Lewis, Rafique and Cleasby were in attendance. Councillor Lamb had submitted his apologies for absence from the meeting and had confirmed that he was happy for the meeting to go ahead in his absence.

The Committee met to consider the outcomes from the candidate stakeholder assessment which had taken place on Monday, 10^th October 2016 and to undertake an exercise to shortlist any appropriate candidates for the purposes of formal interview.

The acting Director of Children’s Services, the Deputy Chief Officer (HR) and the Head of HR (Strategy & Resources) were in attendance at the meeting in an advisory capacity.

The Committee was advised that one candidate had withdrawn from the process, and one had not been able to attend the stakeholder assessment due to illness.

Having considered the submitted information regarding the outcomes from the assessment centre, the Committee continued the formal recruitment process (short listing) for the position of Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning).

RESOLVED –

(a)  That 2 of the 3 candidates be short listed for formal interview;

(b)  That in respect of the one candidate who was unable to participate in the assessment centre on the 10^th October 2016, arrangements be made for that individual undertake the same or an equivalent assessment process, with the results from that assessment being submitted to Committee Members, in order to enable them to determine whether that candidate be short listed for formal interview also;

(c)  That officers be requested to try and reschedule the Employment Committee to undertake formal interviews, which is currently scheduled for 1^st November 2016, so that if possible, it is held before this date.

At this point, the meeting was adjourned and would be reconvened in due course. 

The meeting was reconvened on Tuesday, 1^st November 2016 (9.30am).

Councillors Mulherin (Chair), Dowson, Lamb, J Lewis, Rafique and Cleasby were all in attendance.

The Committee met to undertake the formal interview process for those candidates who had been shortlisted.

The acting Director of Children’s Services and the Deputy Chief Officer (HR) were in attendance at the meeting in an advisory capacity.

The Committee noted that following the previous session on 11^th October 2016, arrangements had been made for the one candidate who was unable to participate in the assessment centre on the 10^th October 2016 to undertake the same or an equivalent assessment process, and that in receiving the results from that process, Members had agreed to shortlist that candidate for interview. However, the Committee was informed that subsequently, that candidate had confirmed their withdrawal from the process. 

Having considered the submitted information in respect of the shortlisted candidates, the Committee undertook the formal interview process for the position of Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning).

RESOLVED – That following the conclusion of the formal interview process and having considered all relevant information put before the Committee, it be agreed that neither of the 2 candidates interviewed be offered the position of Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Learning).