The Recruitment Panel of Derbyshire County Council met on Wednesday 22 April 2026. The primary item scheduled for discussion was a report concerning the extension of a contract for the interim Executive Director of Children's Services. The panel was also scheduled to conduct interviews for the permanent position of Executive Director - Children's Services.

Extension to Contract for Executive Director of Children's Services

A report was scheduled to be presented to the panel regarding the potential extension of the contract for the interim Executive Director of Children's Services. This role also encompasses the statutory duty of Director of Children's Services, as defined by section 18 of the Children Act 2004. The report indicated that the current interim appointment, held by Alison Noble, was due to conclude on 3 May 2026, and sought approval to extend her contract for up to a further six months, until 31 October 2026. This extension would allow for the ongoing recruitment process for a permanent appointment to be completed.

The report detailed that an interim appointment was made in October 2024 due to the long-term absence of the permanent post-holder. Alison Noble, who was appointed on 4 November 2024, was noted for her significant leadership experience in Children's Services and established working relationships within the council and the East Midlands region. Her initial appointment was anticipated to be for no more than 12 months, with subsequent extensions approved.

The report outlined two alternative options considered:

• Option 1: Do not extend the interim appointment. This option was discounted due to the risks of legal repercussions for breaching statutory duties, service disruption, reputational damage, and a rushed recruitment process for a permanent role.
• Option 2: Go out to market for a six-month interim appointment. This option was also discounted as it was deemed insufficient to identify and appoint someone with the necessary experience and qualifications to be effective immediately. The report highlighted the importance of the current interim's established confidence with the Department for Education (DfE) and OFSTED.

The report indicated that the financial implications of extending the contract for six months were estimated to be around £65,000, to be funded from existing departmental budgets. Legally, the council has a statutory obligation to appoint a Director of Children's Services. As the extension would take the appointment beyond 12 months, it required approval by a politically balanced panel, in accordance with the council's Constitution and relevant legislation.

The recommendation scheduled for the panel was to approve the extension to the contract for the current interim Executive Director for Children's Services for up to six months, or until a permanent appointment is made, whichever is sooner. This was to ensure the council had sufficient capacity to deliver both executive director responsibilities and its statutory duties.

Interviews for Executive Director - Children's Services

The agenda also included a session for the panel to conduct interviews for the permanent post of Executive Director - Children's Services. This item was scheduled to take place in Part II of the meeting, with the public excluded from this part of the proceedings. This exclusion was proposed on the grounds that exempt information, as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, would be disclosed, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure.