The Tower Hamlets Council Appointments Sub-Committee convened to address a single substantive agenda item: creating a longlist of candidates for the Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement position. Councillor Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning (Statutory Deputy Mayor), Councillor Nathalie Bienfait, Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, and Councillor Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living, were scheduled to be in attendance. The meeting was scheduled to begin directly after the conclusion of the Appointment Sub-Committee meeting for the Director of Corporate Property and Estates.

Longlisting for Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement

The main item for consideration was the longlisting of candidates for the Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement role. According to the Public Reports Pack, the post was advertised in June 2025, with the application window closing on 14 July 2025. The council reportedly used various platforms to advertise the position, including their website, Penna Exec Search, the Municipal Journal, Guardian Jobs, and social media. Penna, a recruitment consultancy, also conducted a targeted executive search.

The Public Reports Pack included a recommendation that the Sub-Committee agree to invite the candidates recommended by Penna to the first-stage (technical) interviews. The report stated that filling the Director role on a permanent basis would create necessary stability, which would not be achieved via the continuation of interim arrangements.

The Public Reports Pack noted the council's commitment to equality, stating:

The Council's commitment to equalities includes an undertaking to achieve a workforce that can best serve and reflect the community at all levels in the organisation and such considerations will be part of the recruitment process. All posts are recruited to on merit.

Other Business

The agenda included standard items such as the election of a chair and declarations of interest from councillors. Councillors were asked to note any declarations of interest made by members, including those restricting members from voting under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992¹.

The Committee was also expected to consider a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting, citing Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972², as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985³. This was reportedly due to the confidential nature of the information to be discussed, as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.