The Appointments Committee of Merton Council met on Tuesday 28 July 2026 to approve the salary packages and recruitment processes for three senior officer roles: Director of Public Health and Community Wellbeing, Director of Children's Social Care and Youth Inclusion, and Director of Governance and Civic Services. The committee agreed to recommend these appointments and their associated salary packages to Full Council, with the exception of the Director of Governance and Civic Services, where the committee itself would appoint a sub-committee to oversee the recruitment.

Appointment of Senior Officers

The committee discussed and approved recommendations for the appointment of three key senior officers.

Director of Public Health and Community Wellbeing

The committee agreed to recommend to Full Council that the salary package for the Director of Public Health and Community Wellbeing be approved. This role is a statutory position, requiring joint appointment with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and adheres to the Health and Social Care Act 2012¹. The proposed salary grade is MG5, with a range of £118,878 to £127,105, and the committee also recommended approval for a market supplement of up to £25,000 to attract suitable candidates. Councillor Peter McCabe, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, expressed concerns about the potential for market supplements to lead to a never ending process of bidding for people and sought evidence for the necessity of such payments. Polly Cziok, Executive Director of Innovation & Change, explained that substantial evidence from across London indicated a competitive market for these roles, and that market supplements would only be offered if necessary, citing a previous instance where a lower supplement than approved was ultimately offered. The recruitment process for this role will be delegated to the Strategic Director of Integrated Social Care and Health, in consultation with the Chair of the Appointments Committee and the Regional Director of Public Health for London. Councillor Anthony Fairclough, Leader of the Opposition, inquired about the transparency of the salary figures presented to Full Council, and it was noted that while the official amount would be public, a private appendix might be possible to detail the evidence base for market supplements.

Director of Children's Social Care and Youth Inclusion

The committee recommended to Full Council the approval of the salary package for the Director of Children's Social Care and Youth Inclusion. This role is currently filled by an interim, and a permanent appointment is sought for stability. The salary package is set at grade MG5, with a range of £118,878 to £127,105. The recruitment process for this position will be delegated to the Executive Director of Children and Families, in consultation with the Chair of the Appointments Committee. Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Heritage, asked about the do nothing option, and Polly Cziok highlighted the expense of the current interim arrangement and the negative view Ofsted² takes of prolonged vacancies in safeguarding roles.

Director of Governance and Civic Services

The committee agreed to commence recruitment for the Director of Governance and Civic Services, a statutory role also known as the Monitoring Officer. This role has been held on a fixed-term contract, and a permanent appointment is needed for stability. The committee resolved to establish a sub-committee to shortlist candidates and conduct final interviews. This role is crucial for ensuring the council operates legally and robustly.