The Members' Staffing Panel of Bexley Council was scheduled to discuss the appointment of a Deputy Director for Transformation. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items such as the appointment of a chairman, apologies for absence, and declarations of interest.

Appointment of Deputy Director (Transformation)

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the appointment of a Deputy Director (Transformation). This is a newly created senior management position responsible for leading and delivering the Council's transformation agenda, which encompasses customer experience, children's services, corporate core functions, commercial services, and culture change. The role reports to the Chief Executive and is intended to drive organisational transformation to achieve the Council's agreed future operating model and medium-term financial savings.

The recruitment process for this role involved an executive search conducted by Berwick Partners. This search generated 187 applications, with a focus on candidates demonstrating experience in leading systems-level change, particularly within local government or comparable public sector bodies. Following initial assessments and technical interviews, a shortlist of candidates was presented to the Members' Staffing Panel. The panel was to conduct interviews and consider presentations from these candidates, alongside feedback from a separate Stakeholder Panel, to inform their final decision.

The report pack outlined the terms of appointment, stating that the role would be graded as Bexley24, with a salary range of £110,248-£129,280, plus a Choices benefits package of £5,550. The job description details the principal accountabilities, which include leading the development and implementation of cross-council transformational strategies, ensuring alignment with the medium-term financial strategy (MTFS), and developing a new target operating model. The role also involves leading corporate change management initiatives, collaborating with stakeholders, and overseeing transformation projects.

The report also included a person specification detailing the essential and desirable criteria for candidates. These included a degree level education or equivalent experience, significant experience in designing and delivering transformation programmes, a strong understanding of change management, and the ability to work effectively in a senior, complex, and political environment. The role requires strong influencing skills, excellent communication, and the ability to foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

The agenda indicated that discussions regarding the appointment of the Deputy Director (Transformation) would include an exempt item (Agenda Item 6a), meaning the press and public would be excluded from this part of the meeting. This exclusion was recommended due to the consideration of personal information relating to the candidates, as per Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972¹.