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

Extension to Contract for Executive Director of Children's Services

The meeting's agenda included a report concerning the 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 2004¹. The report outlined that an interim appointment was made in October 2024 due to the long-term absence of the permanent post-holder. Alison Noble was appointed on 4th November 2024, bringing significant leadership experience in Children's Services. Her initial appointment was anticipated to be for no more than 12 months.

The report indicated that the established post-holder left the organisation on 31st October 2025, and Mrs Noble's interim appointment was subsequently extended until 3rd May 2026. Recruitment for a permanent Executive Director commenced in February 2026, with an estimated six-month timeframe until a permanent appointment could take up post. Therefore, the report sought approval to extend Mrs Noble's contract for up to an additional six months, until 31st October 2026. This extension would take her total interim appointment beyond 12 months, necessitating approval by a politically balanced panel of ACOS (Appointments and Conditions of Service) Members, as required by legislation and the Council's Constitution.

The report detailed two alternative options considered: not extending the interim appointment, which was discounted due to significant legal, service disruption, reputational, and recruitment risks; and going out to the market for a new six-month interim appointment, which was also discounted as it was deemed insufficient time to find a suitable candidate.

The report recommended approving 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 if sooner. The reasons provided were to ensure the Council had sufficient capacity to deliver both Executive Director responsibilities and its statutory duties for Children's Services during the ongoing absence of a substantive post holder.

The financial implications of extending the contract for six months were estimated to be around £65,000, inclusive of all on-costs, to be funded from existing departmental budgets. The legal implications highlighted the Council's statutory obligation to appoint a Director of Children's Services and the necessity for an interim appointment to ensure these responsibilities are met. The report also noted that as the appointment was to extend beyond 12 months, it required approval by a politically balanced panel.

Interviews for Executive Director - Children's Services

Following the discussion on the contract extension, the agenda indicated that the panel was scheduled to conduct interviews for the permanent post of Executive Director - Children's Services.