The Richmond and Wandsworth Joint Staffing Committee met informally to discuss workforce indicators, the labour market, and chief officer recruitment. Decisions were made regarding the appointment of a new Director of Health and Care and the recruitment timetable for a permanent Chief Executive.

Chief Officer Recruitment and Appointments

The committee reviewed an update on chief officer recruitment and appointments, expressing satisfaction with the overall timetable for appointing a permanent Chief Executive. However, some members voiced concerns that the final stages of the recruitment process, scheduled to occur immediately after next year's local elections, were too compressed. The Chief Executive shared his perspective on the market, highlighting factors that should attract a strong pool of applicants for the permanent Chief Executive role. The Head of HR committed to collaborating with Penna, a recruitment consultancy, regarding the composition of member panels involved at various stages of the recruitment process.

A key decision was made to support the timetables for the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive and a new Director of Health and Care. The Head of Governance clarified that the committee's rules allow for urgent decisions to be made by the Chief Executive, in consultation with the two Council Leaders. Consequently, the approval of the recruitment timetables and the appointment of the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee for the Director of Health and Care position were to be handled through this urgent decision-making procedure.

Additionally, the committee was informed that Mr Dave Sharp had been appointed as Assistant Director of Housing and Regeneration (Property Services) by the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee on 21st September.

SSA Workforce Indicators and Trends

A report on SSA workforce indicators and trends was considered. Regarding sickness levels, the Head of HR explained that fluctuations shown in the data were attributable to various factors, particularly the pandemic. It was anticipated that sickness levels would stabilise in the coming months. Concerning turnover figures, the Head of HR noted that the turnover rate within Wandsworth Children's Services was partly due to structural changes within that directorate. The Head of HR also agreed to investigate the inclusion of sickness and other relevant employment statistics from Achieving for Children, which supports Children's Services staff for Richmond.

The Labour Market and the SSA

The committee also reviewed a report providing an update on the labour market and its impact on the SSA. In response to a query, the Head of HR undertook to investigate the eligibility of councillors to participate in salary sacrifice schemes for the purchase of electric vehicles.