Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive outlining the proposed process for the appointment of a new Director of Public Health and temporary changes to the County Council's Leadership Arrangements, attached.

The Committee considered the Report of the Chief Executive outlining the proposed process for the appointment of a new Director of Public Health and temporary changes to the County Council's Leadership Arrangements.

The Committee noted that the current Director of Public Health was due to retire in September 2020 and the role was currently encompassed within the role of Chief Officer for Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity. It also highlighted the statutory requirements when making an appointment to the role of Director of Public Health including that it was a joint appointment between the Secretary of State and the Local Authority.

The proposal was that a permanent appointment be made for the Director of Public Health.  The Director would be accountable to the Chief Executive and continue to be a member of Leadership Group.

With the County Council Elections taking place in May 2021, the Chief Executive proposed that interim leadership arrangements, to be shared with the Committee in due course, would be put in place for the wider portfolio of services that currently fell under Virginia Pearson’s Chief Officer role, following the appointment of a new Director of Public Health to take effect from September 2020.

In relation to the appointment process for a Director of Public Health, the Faculty Guidance suggested that the appointment panel was chaired by a lay member such as an Elected Member, but the Panel was also required to consist of the Chief Executive (or their representative), Public Health England regional director (or other senior professionally qualified member of PHE acting on their behalf),    Faculty of Public Health Assessor and Senior NHS representation.

The recruitment process must provide assurance of the technical expertise, knowledge and skills required by the Faculty of Public Health and also to demonstrate the leadership behaviours identified by the County Council.

The Committee finally noted that strong candidates for Director of Public Health roles were in short supply across the country, with many employers advertising multiple times and using market supplements to match NHS salaries.  It was imperative that the Council attracted strong candidates therefore offered a competitive reward package such as a salary in line with an NHS salary for the role plus similar terms and conditions, including pension provision.

It was suggested a population supplement of £10,000 was added to recognise the size of Devon’s population, giving a salary of £99,537 - £113,860 and that if the successful candidate was currently on NHS terms and conditions these would be matched where appropriate, including maintenance of any NHS pension membership.

The Committee noted that the proposals would not result in additional costs for the Director of Public Health. 

Members commented on the importance of ‘communities’ work, the continued decrease in the Public Health grant and that the full complement of Members on the Appointments, Remuneration and Chief Officer Conduct Committee be part of the recruitment process when this takes place.

It was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the resultant changes for the role of the Director of Public Health be noted and endorsed;

(b) that the revised appointment process for the Director of Public Health to ensure that the Council complies with the Facility of Public Health requirements for the appointment of a new Director of Public Health also be endorsed; and

(c) that the recommendations for the interim leadership arrangements for Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (COPHEP) pending County Council Elections in May 2021 be noted.