The Appointments Committee of Southwark Council met on Thursday 18 June 2026. The primary item scheduled for discussion was the designation of a Monitoring Officer for the council.

Designation of a Monitoring Officer

The committee was scheduled to consider the designation of John Scarborough, the Interim Director of Law and Governance, as the council's Monitoring Officer. This role is a statutory requirement under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, with responsibilities including intervening in cases of unlawful action or maladministration, and maintaining the standards regime for councillors. The Monitoring Officer also has duties under the council's constitution, such as making decisions on legal proceedings and advising on the council's powers.

The report pack indicated that a previous meeting on 16 June 2026 had considered this designation but resolved to defer the decision to allow for the receipt of additional background information. The report provided context on the Chief Executive's decision in February 2026 to not retain the role of Assistant Chief Executive – Governance and Assurance, which was intended to reduce senior management costs and simplify the leadership structure for legal services. The Chief Executive was expected to attend the meeting to address any questions regarding this decision.

John Scarborough was described as an experienced Monitoring Officer, having previously held similar roles at the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Merton. His appointment as Interim Director of Law and Governance followed a competitive recruitment process. The report highlighted that while the appointment of an interim director is an officer decision, only councillors can designate an officer as the Monitoring Officer, a responsibility delegated to the Appointments Committee. The report also noted that a permanent recruitment process for the Director of Law and Governance was underway, with interviews scheduled for July 2026.

The report outlined the community impact of the Monitoring Officer role, stating that it plays an important part in promoting public confidence by ensuring lawful decisions and maintaining the standards regime for councillors. It also detailed the implications under the Equality Act 2010, noting the council's duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics. The Monitoring Officer would be responsible for promoting compliance with these duties. No significant health or climate change implications were identified, and there were no direct financial implications. The report was published on an urgent basis to fulfil legal obligations and ensure the Monitoring Officer could exercise their functions.

The committee was also scheduled to approve the minutes of the open section of the Appointments Committee meeting held on 16 June 2026.