The Employment and Appointments Committee convened to appoint a Director of Education and Achievement, and to recommend candidates for Independent Persons for Standards and Co-Opted Members of the Audit and Risk Committee to the council. The committee approved a shortlist of candidates for the Director of Education and Achievement post, and delegated authority to Councillor Janet Burgess MBE, Carers Champion and Chair of the Committee, to recommend candidates for the Audit and Risk Committee to the council.

Appointment of Director of Education and Achievement

The committee convened to interview candidates for the position of Director of Education and Achievement. The advertised salary for the post was Grade CO2 £116,721 - £131,742. Following the interviews, the committee was asked to appoint a candidate to the post, agree on the final salary (or parameters within which the successful candidate should be offered the post), and note that any offer of employment would be subject to the completion of the Executive Notification Procedure, as per the council’s Officer Employment Procedure Rules.

The report stated that:

The appointment of a senior officer to the post will support the delivery of the council’s missions and objectives.

The appointed individual will also play a key role in supporting the delivery of the Islington Together 2030 Plan, as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Appointment of Independent Persons for Standards and Co-Opted Members of the Audit and Risk Committee

The committee considered the appointment of two candidates as Independent Persons for Standards for a four-year term, or until vacancies arise. The council is required to appoint at least one Independent Person for Standards, a statutory role under the Localism Act 2011 to advise the council on matters relating to the Member Code of Conduct. This includes reviewing complaints made against members, and deciding if members have, or may have, breached the Code of Conduct, and if those complaints should be investigated.

Nine applications were received for the roles, and interviews were conducted on 3 April 2025 by a panel including Councillor Burgess, the Chair of the Standards Committee, the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, and Councillor Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Finance & Performance. The panel recommended two candidates for appointment, and the committee agreed to refer the appointments to the Council for consideration, subject to references.

The Council’s Constitution states that the Audit and Risk Committee will be comprised of five councillors and two independent co-opted members. These co-opted members provide an independent and high-level focus on the audit, assurance, and reporting arrangements that underpin good governance and financial standards.

Twelve applications were received for these roles. Interviews were scheduled for late April 2025, to be conducted by Councillor Burgess, the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, and Councillor Ward, with support from senior officers. The committee delegated authority to Councillor Burgess to recommend successful candidates to the Council, for the appointments to be agreed at the Annual Council meeting on 15 May 2025, subject to references.

Independent Persons for Standards are entitled to an allowance of £1,025 per annum. Co-opted members of the Audit and Risk Committee will receive £139.77 per meeting, subject to any inflationary increases awarded under the annual Local Government Pay Settlement¹.