The Human Resources Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Thursday 16 May 2024 to discuss a range of HR matters, including the establishment of sub-committees, updates on senior recruitment, employee relations casework, and significant proposals for the council's corporate restructure. Key decisions included the approval of changes to the appointments sub-committee process to ensure members are selected from within their own political groups, and the continuation of specialist consultancy services for senior recruitment.

Establishment of Sub-Committees and Recruitment Processes

The committee agreed to establish Appeals Sub-Committees and Appointments Sub-Committees for the 2024/25 municipal year. Significant changes were made to the appointments process, with a decision to amend the rules so that members of the Appointments Sub-Committee must be selected from within their own political groups. This change was proposed to ensure greater consistency and certainty in the recruitment process. The committee also agreed to remove the discretion to substitute members halfway through an appointment process, reinforcing the need for continuity. An administrative change was also approved to clarify that the Director is responsible for the advertising and long-listing process.

Senior Recruitment and Employee Relations

An update on senior recruitment revealed that offers had been made for the Corporate Director Health & Adult Social Care and Corporate Director Children's Services roles, with recruitment checks ongoing. Approval was sought and granted for the extension of interim arrangements for the Corporate Director Housing and Regeneration and Director Legal Services roles, as recruitment processes for these positions are still underway. The committee also approved the continuation of specialist consultancy services provided by Anne-Marie Scott to support the senior recruitment programme until permanent postholders are onboarded.

The Employee Relations Casework and Policy Quarterly Review for Quarter 4 (January-March 2024) and the annual report for 2023-24 were presented. The reports detailed the volume and types of casework handled, including disciplinary, attendance management, and grievance cases. The average time to resolve complex cases was noted as 243 days in Q4, with an overall annual average of 162 days for closed cases. The reports also highlighted recent changes to employment law affecting flexible working requests, carer's leave, paternity leave, and redundancy protections for pregnant employees.

Council Transformation and Restructure

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the council's corporate restructure, led by Chief Executive Stephen Halsey. Phase 2 of the restructure aims to strengthen core functions, including HR, Procurement, and Scrutiny, and to optimise the Corporate Centre. Key proposals include the mainstreaming of the Mayor's Office into the Resources Directorate, reducing its size to seven posts, and a comprehensive review of the Strategy, Improvement, and Transformation (SIT) team.

The Housing and Regeneration Directorate is set to undergo a significant restructure to address challenges related to new regulatory standards, external market conditions, and the integration of Tower Hamlets Homes (THH). The proposed new structure will create distinct divisions for Housing Management, Housing Options and Homelessness, Regeneration, Housing Supply and Assets, and Housing Policy and Strategy. The Economic Development and Growth Division will largely move to the Communities and Inclusive Growth Division.

The committee also noted updates on the Children's Services, Health and Adult Social Care, and Communities Directorates, with further reviews planned as part of Phase 3 of the corporate restructure. The Chief Executive highlighted that these changes are service improvement-focused and not driven by further savings requirements. The implementation of Phase 2 is expected to be completed by October 2024, with the launch of a new Target Operating Model.