The Appointments Committee of Southwark Council is scheduled to convene on Wednesday 22 July 2026. The primary focus of the meeting will be the appointment of a new Director of Law and Governance.

Appointment of a Director of Law and Governance

A key item on the agenda is the potential appointment of a Director of Law and Governance. The report pack indicates that the committee will be asked to select a preferred candidate for this senior leadership role. This individual will be responsible for providing strategic leadership to the Law and Governance division, which encompasses legal services, local democracy, elections, and registration. They will also be tasked with providing expert advice and upholding high standards of integrity and ethical conduct within the council.

Furthermore, the preferred candidate will be designated as the council's monitoring officer. This is a statutory role with significant responsibilities, including intervening if unlawful action or maladministration is occurring or likely to occur, and maintaining the standards regime for councillors. The report pack also notes that the preferred candidate will be offered a salary within the range of £119,553 to £150,333, in line with the council's pay policy statement for 2026/27.

The recruitment process for this position has involved engaging an executive search firm, Ransley Boardman. Advertisements for the vacancy were published on 21 May 2026, with a closing date of 17 June 2026. A longlisting meeting was held on 24 June 2026, attended by senior officers including Chief Executive Althea Loderick and Director of People and Organisational Development Ben Plant, to identify candidates for technical interviews. Following these interviews, a shortlisting meeting took place on 6 July 2026, with attendees including Councillor James McAsh, Leader of the Council, and Councillor Victor Chamberlain, Deputy Leader. Four candidates were shortlisted for interview with the Appointments Committee.

The report highlights that the Director of Law and Governance plays an important role in promoting public confidence in the council by ensuring decisions are lawful and by maintaining the standards regime for councillors. The role also involves promoting compliance with the Equality Act 2010¹, which requires the council to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics. The report states there are no significant health or climate change implications arising from this appointment, and financial implications are contained within departmental budgets.