The Kensington and Chelsea Council Appointments Panel, composed of Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Council, Councillor Sof McVeigh, Lead Member for Housing Management, Housing Safety & Building New Homes, and Councillor Claire Simmons, Chair, Housing and Communities Select Committee, convened to interview candidates for the Director of Housing Management position. This role is central to the council's commitment to improving its housing services, particularly in light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy¹. The meeting was scheduled to begin with a public session, but was expected to move into a closed session for the interview.

Interview: Director of Housing Management

The main item on the agenda was the interview for the Director of Housing Management. According to the report pack, the main purpose of the job is:

To lead and develop an exemplary landlord service for the tenants and leaseholders of Kensington & Chelsea Council, honouring and embodying the Council's values and commitments to change following the Grenfell Tower tragedy

To be principal advisor to the Council on Housing Management, including on compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, and maintaining a sustainable Housing Revenue Account business plan

As part of the Housing and Social Investment directorate management team, and the Council's wider leadership, to share collective leadership responsibility and work collaboratively with Members, services across the council, and partners and stakeholders to deliver the Council's priorities.

The Director of Housing Management is expected to provide leadership to the Housing Management department, including the Grenfell Housing Service, and champion a culture of openness, continuous learning and improvement, and shared responsibility for safety, performance, and resident satisfaction. They will also be responsible for ensuring the service meets the council's commitment to working, engaging and communicating with its communities, and to maintaining the highest standards of customer service and complaints handling for tenants and leaseholders, in line with Council's Charter for Public Participation and Service Standards.

The person specification for the role states that candidates should have significant experience of the theory and practical implementation of Housing Management at a very senior level, experience of working in a political environment, and experience of robust budget control. They should also have the ability to inspire confidence in a wide variety of audiences and to communicate practice and policy to a diverse community.

The report pack also includes a section on the council's values and behaviours, which are: Putting Communities First, Respect, Integrity and Working Together. Candidates were expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to council policies in relation to Equal Opportunity, Customer Care and service delivery, and the ability to implement these policies in the workplace.

Other Business

The agenda for the meeting also included standard items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and any other oral or written items which the chair considers urgent.