The Appointment Sub-Committee of Tower Hamlets Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday 10 November 2026. The primary focus of this meeting will be the final interviews for the significant role of Director of Young Tower Hamlets. The committee will also address procedural matters, including declarations of interest and the confirmation of previous meeting minutes.

Interviews for the Director of Young Tower Hamlets

The main item on the agenda is the final interview process for the position of Director of Young Tower Hamlets. The report pack indicates that the committee will be asked to Interview and assess each candidate in accordance with the Council's policies and practices. Following the interviews, the committee will Determine which candidates meet the required benchmark for the position being applied for and, where more than one candidate is appointable, determine which candidate should be offered the post. The report also notes that following the Sub-Committee's determination, the Executive will have 48 hours to provide comments on the proposed appointment.

The report pack details that the role was advertised from 25 August 2026, with a closing date of 9 September 2026. A longlist of candidates was considered by Senior Officers on 7 October 2026, leading to a shortlist being recommended to the Appointments Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee met on 21 October 2026 and agreed that four Grade A candidates should progress to technical interviews. These technical interviews took place between 28 October and 2 November 2026. One candidate has since withdrawn, leaving three candidates to proceed to the final interviews on 10 November 2026. The report states that Appendix 1 contains the final interview report for the final candidates.¹

The report highlights that appointing to this role on a permanent basis is considered to offer improved value for money when compared to maintaining cover for the role on an interim basis. It also states that the role is crucial for ensuring the Council is able to effectively discharge its safeguarding and corporate parenting responsibilities and that permanent appointment will provide greater leadership stability, which has a positive impact on risk management and performance delivery.²

The report also outlines the legal framework for the appointment, referencing Section 112 of the Local Government Act 1972, which requires councils to appoint officers necessary for the proper discharge of their functions, and Section 7 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, which mandates that all appointments should be made on merit. The Council's Officer Employment Procedure Rules, as outlined in Section 38 Part C of the Council's Constitution, apply to the appointment of chief officers and deputy chief officers, with the Director of Young Tower Hamlets being a Deputy Chief Officer post. The report also reiterates the requirement for the Appointments Sub-Committee to include at least one member of the Executive, as per the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations 2001.

Declarations of Interest

The committee is scheduled to note any declarations of interest made by its members. This includes noting any declarations that might restrict members from voting on matters detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. A note from the Interim Monitoring Officer provides guidance on Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) and Non-DPI Interests, outlining the requirements for members to declare the nature of any interest and, in some cases, to withdraw from the meeting room during consideration of the item.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee is also scheduled to confirm the minutes of the previous Appointments Sub-Committee meeting held on 21 October 2026. Additionally, exempt minutes from that same meeting are to be confirmed as a correct record of proceedings.