The Employment Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Tuesday 4 November 2025, approving recommendations for the recruitment of a Director of Finance and the employment of the Executive Director of Adult Services. The committee also approved recommendations regarding Coroner salaries and fees for 2025/26.

Recruitment of the Director of Finance (S151 Officer)

The committee approved recommendations to continue the recruitment process for the Director of Finance (S151 Officer) with Penna PLC. The terms of the appointment will be amended to include the option of a two-year fixed-term contract and the post will be offered at Executive Director grade with a revised salary proposition and market supplement. This decision was made in response to a challenging recruitment market for senior finance roles, where demand for experienced candidates with skills in financial transformation and data-driven decision-making is high. Despite initial interest, no suitable candidates had been found who met the required extensive expertise and experience. Councillor Brian Moore raised a query about the interim director who had reportedly been appointed full-time, questioning the need for further recruitment. Sophie Fowler, Head of Service Strategic Resourcing and Workforce Planning, clarified that the interim director was not interested in taking on the role permanently, and that the current approach aimed to secure a stable, long-term appointment.

Review of Coroner Salaries and Fees 2025/26

Recommendations for the 2025/26 pay award for Senior, Area, and Assistant Coroners' salaries and fees were approved. This decision followed a previous deferral to allow for additional benchmarking data on Coroner salaries to be provided, comparing Lancashire with other areas. Ann Edwards, Coroners Service Manager, presented the updated report.

Employment of the Executive Director of Adult Services and Statutory Director of Adult Social Services

The committee approved recommendations to secure the services of the current postholder for the Executive Director of Adult Services, who also holds the statutory role of Director of Social Services (DASS), under a fixed-term contract until March 2028. Sophie Fowler, Head of Service Strategic Resourcing and Workforce Planning, presented a report outlining the interim arrangements and the proposal for a fixed-term contract.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The committee resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the consideration of specific agenda items. This was on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information, and it was considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. This applied to the Review of Coroner Salaries and Fees and the Employment of the Executive Director of Adult Services.