The Human Resources Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Thursday, 12 February 2026, to discuss updates on corporate directorates, senior recruitment, and employee relations. Key decisions included approving extensions for interim senior roles and noting the progress of recruitment processes.

Corporate Directors Update

Steve Reddy, Corporate Director for Children's Services, presented an update on his directorate, highlighting the significant number of young people in the borough and the challenges faced, including child poverty and obesity. He detailed the directorate's structure, key priorities aligned with the Tower Hamlets Vision 2035 and the Council's strategic plan, and provided an overview of key performance indicators (KPIs). While many KPIs were in a good place, with outstanding ratings in social care inspections and good SEND inspections, there were areas for improvement, particularly concerning first-time entrants to the youth justice system and care leavers entering employment.

Councillor Shafi Ahmed raised concerns about the red status of the KPI for first-time entrants to the youth justice system. Steve Reddy explained that while there had been a 40% reduction in first-time entrants over the past two years, the target remained challenging. New diversionary programmes were in place, and he expressed optimism about meeting the target in the coming year.

Councillor Abdi Mohamed questioned the green status of EHC¹ plans completed within 20 weeks, noting that performance was at 55% and that funding was a concern. Steve Reddy acknowledged that performance in this area was not as strong as in others and that targets would be reviewed. He also mentioned that the volume of EHC plans was significant, with nearly 4,800 plans. He expressed hope for national reforms on SEND² and highlighted the council's strategy of early years investment. Recruitment challenges were also noted, though there had been an increase in staff transferring from agency to permanent roles.

The discussion also touched upon the proposed Institute of Academic Excellence, with Councillor Abdi Mohamed expressing disappointment that the Department for Education (DfE) had not supported the proposal, despite capital expenditure on a site. Steve Reddy clarified that the council had not progressed beyond identifying a site due to the DfE's decision. Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury supported the ambition behind the proposal, stating it was to offer the best for some of the young people in our borough.

Ellen Clark, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, was welcomed to the committee.

Update on Senior Recruitment

Ellen Clark, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, provided an update on senior recruitment. She noted that no new permanent appointments had been made since the last meeting on 22 December 2025. Several senior posts, including Director of Young Tower Hamlets, Director of Adult Social Care, and Director of Commissioning, were currently in the recruitment process.

The committee was asked to approve the extension of interim arrangements for several key roles:

• Mark Norman as Interim Director of Governance, from 31 March 2026 to 30 June 2026, to provide continuity during the election period.
• Shafiur Rahman as Interim Director of Youth Services, from 31 March 2026 to 30 September 2026, to ensure continuity until post-election recruitment could be considered, factoring in insights from a structural efficiency review.
• Geoff Pearce as Director of Accelerated & Priority Projects, from 31 March 2026 to 30 September 2026, to maintain focus on the Priority Housing Programme.

Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury proposed an amendment to reduce the extension for the Interim Director of Community Safety to 28 February 2026, allowing time for handover. Councillor Kabir Ahmed seconded this proposal. The committee approved the extension of interim arrangements for the Interim Director of Community Safety until 28 February 2026, and also approved the interim arrangements for the Director of Governance and the Director of Resources posts.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Abdi Mohamed regarding the lack of detailed information in the reports, making it difficult to make informed decisions. He questioned the good faith approvals and the sufficiency of information provided, particularly regarding financial implications. The Chair, Councillor Harun Miah, intervened to address allegations of nighttime coaching and electioneering, stating that such claims were inappropriate for public meetings and that any evidence should be presented through the correct channels.

It was noted that a representative from the government-appointed Envoys³ had been invited to observe the recruitment process for senior posts, as per best practice.

Employee Relations Casework and Policy Quarterly Review

The committee received an update on employee relations (ER) casework for Quarter 3 (1 October – 31 December 2025). The total number of open and closed cases remained similar to the previous quarter, with 56 open cases at the end of December. The duration of cases exceeding 180 days had reduced for the fourth consecutive quarter.

Attendance management and disciplinary cases saw an increase, though they remained lower than the same quarter in the previous year. Grievance cases remained steady. A significant trend identified was that a substantial number of ER cases were linked to other ongoing matters, particularly within the Communities directorate.

The report highlighted that HR is promoting the use of in-house mediation services and encouraging managers to hold informal discussions with employees to resolve issues early. The organisation's policy had been updated to reflect these practices.

The data presented showed that the Communities directorate had the highest percentage of employees involved in ER cases (4% of its workforce), with 63 cases out of a total of 129. The majority of these cases were grievances and disciplinary matters.

The committee noted that a new working group, including representatives from trade unions and employee networks, had been established to develop employee policies and guidance. The aim is to create shorter, more user-friendly policies with wellbeing and equalities at their core. The first policies to be reviewed will include grievance, redeployment, and hybrid working.

The committee was informed that the report contained sensitive information, and a decision was made to move into a closed session to discuss the details.