The Appointments Committee of Merton Council met on Monday 18 August 2025 to discuss the appointment of two chief officers and agreed to recommend their salary packages to Full Council.

Appointment of Chief Officers

The committee discussed the recruitment of two key director-level roles: Director of Resources (Deputy Section 151 Officer) and Director of Property and Asset Management. The Executive Director for Innovation and Change, Polly Cziok, introduced the report, explaining that the recruitment for the Director of Resources was necessary due to the impending retirement of the current postholder in March 2026, allowing for a smooth handover and the transfer of institutional knowledge.

The role of Director of Property and Asset Management is a new position, created following a review of departmental structures. This role will combine the existing property and Facilities Management functions under the Executive Director for Housing and Sustainable Development, aiming to establish a robust Corporate Landlord function for efficient management and revenue maximisation from the council's estate. A market supplement was proposed for this role to ensure competitiveness within the sector, comparable to IT recruitment.

The proposed salaries for both roles were based on the 2024/25 pay band, with the 2025/26 pay award of 3.2% having since been agreed. The financial implications for the Director of Property and Asset Management role were noted, with funding to be sourced from existing resources, and a maximum potential gap of £80,000 if recruitment required the top of the market supplement. The interim incumbent in the Property and Asset Management role had already demonstrated the benefits of this consolidated function.

The committee resolved to recommend to Full Council that they agree to the salary packages for both the Director of Resources (Deputy Section 151) and the Director of Property and Asset Management. The salary range for both posts was set at £111,510 - £119,229 per annum. For the Director of Property and Asset Management, a market supplement of up to £23,681 per annum was also recommended, potentially bringing the total package to £142,910. The committee also delegated authority to the Executive Directors of Finance & Digital, Innovation and Change, and Housing and Sustainable Development, in consultation with the Chair of the Appointments Committee, to amend the job descriptions for these posts, provided such amendments did not alter the salary range. Furthermore, the implementation of the recruitment process for these roles was delegated to the Executive Directors of Finance & Digital and Housing and Sustainable Development, in consultation with the Chair.

The committee noted that over the past two years, the council had significantly reduced its annual agency spend by approximately £5 million, attributing this success to the permanent recruitment of senior staff and a reduced reliance on interim appointments. The development of the council's recruitment brand, staff values, and a review of pay and benefits were cited as factors enabling more effective competition in the recruitment marketplace.

The recommendations were made in accordance with the council's Pay Policy Statement¹, which requires Full Council approval for salary packages exceeding £100,000. The report highlighted that the proposed salaries were based on 2024-25 pay bands, with the 2025-26 pay award to be applied once agreed.