The Appointment Sub-Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Thursday 24 September 2026. The primary focus of the meeting was to conduct final interviews for the critical role of Director of Finance. Due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, the press and public were excluded from the majority of the proceedings.

Interviews for the Director of Finance

The main item scheduled for discussion was the final interview process for the Director of Finance (Deputy s151) position. This role is considered essential for the council's ability to fulfil its statutory financial duties and contributes to the council's continuous improvement journey and response to external auditors' recommendations. The report pack indicated that the Appointments Sub-Committee was asked to consider a report from the executive search agency, Penna, which contained interview packs for shortlisted candidates. The committee was scheduled to interview and assess each candidate against the council's policies, determine which candidates met the required benchmark, and identify the preferred candidate.

The report pack outlined the recruitment process, which began with an extensive advertisement of the position in June and July 2026. A total of fourteen applications were received, with six candidates progressing to a technical interview stage. Following these interviews, three candidates were recommended for shortlisting by the Appointments Sub-Committee on 10 September 2026.

The report also detailed the terms of reference for the Appointments Sub-Committee, which are to make appointments to Chief Officer and Deputy Chief Officer posts in accordance with the council's Constitution and agreed recruitment and selection procedures. For a Director-level appointment, the sub-committee is to comprise five councillors, with specific requirements for representation from the Leader of the Aspire Group and at least one member of the Executive (Cabinet). A quorum of three members was established for the committee.

The report highlighted that appointing to this role on a permanent basis was considered to represent improved value for money compared to interim agency engagement and would provide greater leadership stability, positively impacting risk management and performance delivery. Legal services confirmed that the appointment process must comply with Section 112 of the Local Government Act 1972, requiring appointments to be made on merit, and adhere to the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, including the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty.

The report pack indicated that following the sub-committee's determination, the Executive would have 48 hours to provide comment on the proposed appointment. Any objections raised would require further consideration by the sub-committee before a formal offer could be made. The Director of HR & Organisational Development, Ellen Clark, or their delegate, would then undertake the necessary recruitment processes to engage the selected candidate.

Declarations of Interest

Prior to the substantive business, the committee was scheduled to note any declarations of interest made by members. This process is guided by the council's Constitution and includes noting Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) and Non-DPIs. A DPI requires a member to declare the nature of the interest and withdraw from the meeting unless a dispensation has been granted. Non-DPIs require declaration, but members may remain and vote unless their interest is deemed significant enough to impair their judgement of the public interest. Members were also reminded of guidance on predetermination and bias, and the requirement to consider cases with an open mind. Additionally, members were to be reminded of restrictions on voting for those with Council Tax arrears, as detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.