The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on 26 January 2022 to appoint a Director of Community Wealth Building. Following interviews with five candidates, the committee recommended Darren Mackin for the role, subject to Cabinet approval, which was subsequently granted.

Appointment of Director of Community Wealth Building

The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee formally interviewed five candidates for the position of Director of Community Wealth Building. After the interviews, the committee deliberated and agreed to recommend Darren Mackin for the role. Mr. Mackin is currently the Head of Commissioning and Place, Inclusive Growth, at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

The recommendation was made in accordance with the Council's Constitution, which requires consultation with Cabinet Members on any provisional offer made for a Chief Officer appointment. This consultation period allows Cabinet Members to raise any objections, which must be reasonable, well-founded, and based on material fact. Following the sub-committee's recommendation, Cabinet Members indicated that they had no objections to Mr. Mackin's appointment.

The role of Director of Community Wealth Building is a senior position within the Directorate of Inclusive Economy and Housing. The post holder is accountable to the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy and Housing and the Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE. The Director will have strategic leadership responsibility for delivering a portfolio of activities related to Community Wealth Building, including regeneration of place and the delivery of major capital programmes. A key focus will be on the delivery of the Towards a Better Newham Covid Recovery and Re-orientation plan, with a specific task to review the operation and funding for Pillar 5, which relates to Town Centre and Regeneration. The role also involves delivering the London Living Wage Strategy for Newham, supporting businesses to increase higher-skilled jobs, and working with education and skills services to enhance opportunities for residents.

The recruitment process for this position involved assistance from the Berwick recruitment agency. It began in July 2021, with a closing date of 8th December 2021. Ten applications were received, leading to a longlisting meeting, technical assessments, and one-to-one meetings with candidates. A shortlisting meeting identified five candidates for the final stage, which included a Stakeholder Assessment Centre and a Young People's panel held on 19th January 2022.

The job description outlines that the Director will be responsible for areas such as high streets regeneration, the Stratford Masterplan, economic regeneration and development, Our Newham Services, the skills agenda including apprenticeships, and estate regeneration projects like Carpenters and Canning Town and Custom House. The role also requires strategic leadership, effective partnership working, managing budgets, and contributing to the Council's vision and values. The position is politically restricted, meaning the post holder cannot engage in active political roles such as standing for election or canvassing.