Human Resources Committee - Thursday 12 February 2026, 6:30pm - Tower Hamlets Council webcasts

Human Resources Committee
Thursday, 12th February 2026 at 6:30pm 

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Thank you.
Good afternoon, everyone. Good evening.
Welcome to HR committee meeting. My name is Councillor
Hanrami. I'm the chair of this committee. This meeting is held
in person. Some members may be joining online. Only the
committee members present in the meeting room will be able to
can be properly recorded.
Can everybody make sure that mobile phones are switched off
or in silent mode?
Justina, do you have any apologies for absence?
No, chair, no apologies.
I think Catalina may be running late.
Oh, OK.
I'm assuming.
OK.
OK.
OK, before I proceed, there is a tragic event
happened yesterday.
So I'll pass it to Steve to give us the all the information we need and we'll go for a minute silent after that
Thank you chair and leader everyone
I'd like to advise committee members that you hear Ali won't be joining us in relation to the update on communities directorate due to
Unexpected bereavement in the leisure services. So Juhur is supporting all the team
Through that only happened last night
And obviously this event follows a sad passing of our friend and colleague
director Simon Baxter and obviously we all I'm sure want to express our
Deepest condolences to Simon and also the member of staff Mohammed
Who passed away last night their family and friends on behalf of Tower Hamlets?
And I'm here anyway as we're discussing children's services this evening, but myself and and Ellen
Welcome Ellen our new director of human resources
We will cover the communities item, but if there's any particular questions, we'll obviously take that away and make sure that you get a written response. Thank you.
Okay, thank you for that update, Steve.
Justina, can I request that we...
Okay, okay, you're okay.
We'll go for a minute to silence, just remember the...
Yeah, okay. We can sit down and do it. There's no harm.
.
Thank you.
Item number one, declarations of DPI. Can I stop on the right hand side and ask members
to end the guests and then declare any interest you may have.
Good evening all. No DPAs. Thank you.
Councillor Apti Mohamed, I am a lay member of the union but also I don't think it's a
But just to note I've got a sibling that works in children's services, and I appreciate the help for today
Councillor could be Ahmed no DP eyes
Carabas and principal life for the civil litigation team in legal
and
Yeah
Thank you
Hello, Ellen Clark director of human resources
I Steve ready corporate director children's services
Counsellor I'd be proud to be nothing to declare
Good evening councillor, all those St. Catharines are whopping nothing to declare
Thank you for that.
There is no online participation.
We have one of the young guests there.
Just for everybody's information, he is an observer.
We can term it as an observer.
Thank you.
Welcome to the committee.
Item number two, minutes.
The meeting from the last meeting held on 22nd December has been circulated.
Can we please confirm these are correct?
Thank you for that.
Item 2 .1, action log.
The action log has been circulated for review.
Does any member wish to comment?
Thank you.
Councillor Abdi, your comment or question, please?
Yes, just a quick question.
We obviously were due to have an update of the council savings for ER, VR, but it's been
withdrawn, so just to clarify why it's been withdrawn.
Maybe, Justin, do you wish to answer?
I was informed that it was withdrawn because, for two reasons.
Firstly, there weren't really any changes, and secondly, it wasn't done in time, but
there weren't any changes.
Since that time the chair has agreed to bring this item
on a yearly basis an annual basis rather than twice in the
municipal year
Thank you
Call me okay
So that completes a item 2 .1
Next item we have is item 3, work plan.
As this is the final meeting of the municipal year,
do members have any requests for additional items to be included for discussion?
Does anybody have any?
Nothing to do?
Just you want to come in.
Can I ask members if you do have any items you wish to be added to next year's municipal year,
please let me know and I will make sure it's on the agenda.
Okay, we'll go after that, just to...
When you say next year?
Yes, yeah, sorry, next municipal year, yeah, sorry, next municipal year.
Thank you.
Moving on.
The first item is the corporate directors update.
Steve Reddy, will give an update on the direct rate.
Can I now ask Steve to present your report, please?
Thank you chair and thank you to the committee for giving the opportunity to update on Children's Services.
There's a slide set in your pack. I'll just explain what the format is and then if you want me to go into any detail or ask any questions if that's appropriate.
so
Similar to the briefing I think it is last time the first slide just talks about the context of children's services in terms of population
Demand and some of the key issues affecting children. You've then got a slide on our budgets and staffing sort of headline
Information you'll see we've got nearly 1 ,300 staff
Budget revenue budget of around about 100 million and then there's a school's budget
You might have seen in the news recently stuff around send budgets. You might you might have some interesting
questions around that
Then we've got a couple slides in terms of key priorities
Yellow you'll be aware the new vision 2035 is published. So what a slide there just talking about what are the children's elements?
of the new vision and then the existing
It's armless council strategic plan is on the next page. And again, we've just pulled out those key activities that link to children's services
The next slide is the each section within the director as it's currently structured and there are some changes
Which I can explain and the sort of key areas of work and then the following slide is the specific
Services with each within each of the five areas in the directorate
We've then included two pages on key performance indicators.
So these are the ones that are in the corporate plan.
So we can, we've got evidence there in terms of
where we are on those key measures.
Up to quarter three, which generally speaking
is in a good place.
And then the next slide is our sort of update
on key inspections as you'll be aware.
And people are tired of me banging on about.
We had a really good social care inspection
that was outstanding.
We had a good send inspection and just last year. We're expecting youth justice and then we've got the school inspections
They're really well had some
New school inspections just this this year in January and again schools are doing really well
And our early is providers are really in a good place on inspection and then there's a set of slides which is our structure
I'd just highlight a specific change
for the senior structure you'll see at the moment and we've got the interim
director of youth services or young talent Hamlet's and then we've got the
sort of supporting family social care then we've got commissioning policy
performance education and then employment and skills in the next month
or so employment skills will be moving to the housing and regen department
under David Joyce, under the new director, Hannah De Gliese.
The employment skills for adults will be going there.
The youth employment elements will be staying
with the youth service in Yonge Tower Hamlets.
So the structure then will be slightly different as well,
going forward.
And then the following slides are just the detail
of each of the structures under each of those director roles.
and then finally we had a
Staff event in December, which was a bit of a look back for the the year and sort of some of the positive developments
So I just I've included that just for your attention
I guess for two things just to recognise how hard our teams have been working and the good good sort of work
They've delivered but also for yourselves as a committee. You can see the sort of breadth of work
that we're doing there as well.
So I've just included that
because it was quite a recent thing
and has evidence and examples of all the work we're doing,
which I don't intend to go through it,
but I'll just pull your information really.
So happy to go into detail on any particular area
or take any specific questions entirely
of your chair, up to you.
Okay, thank you for the updated report, Steve.
We have Alan Clark as well present
to answer any questions as well.
Okay, does the Member wish to raise any comments or questions?
Okay, I can see.
Okay, two hands, three hands, okay.
Yeah, Councillor Coady.
Your question or comment, please.
Sorry, I was just going to say, I think we agreed,
and I think as per constitution, we shouldn't have junior officers' details on a public document,
and you've gone right down onto the lowered.
I think it was just going to be directors at the director level because that's so because
otherwise, you know, there's no you've got even lower than that you've gone the next
tier down on that.
So I would suggest that that oversight is remedied in public facing documents.
Otherwise, I mean, as a council, officers can be directly approached and challenged.
Yeah.
But in terms of the work that's happened, can I commend you on sort of leading the directorate?
There's been a number of successes within the directorate, particularly in multiple
areas from youth service to the school meals and sort of education. However, I just want to
highlight the red which is on page 29 rates of first -time entrance into the youth justice system.
There is a red on there and the amber and I know the justifications given around it in terms of
percentage markers but nonetheless it is a target that we have and we can't generally just continue
justify, you know, success in one area means we'll have negative in another
area. And if I can use the analogy of if we have smaller class sizes, the
expectancy is better output and results with that, because you have more time to
spend individually and you can do more concentrated and focused work. So just,
you know, from your perspectives, what medications can we put in there in order
to ensure that we don't stay in the red for that.
And in relation to the AMBA, which is KPI 028, we're on AMBA, you know, what else can
be done in order to ensure that we don't stay at AMBA and we move in the right direction
to go to green?
Steve, do you want to comment?
Yes, please.
Thank you, Councillor.
and yeah, we'll take the notes around the structure.
For some of it, we have gone beyond head of service,
so we'll make sure we amend that,
and also the future directorates that come
will advise them not to go beyond direct level.
Yeah, thank you for your recognition in terms of progress,
but correctly on the key performance indicators,
there are two areas.
The first -time entrance to youth justice,
in terms of the sort of actual figures,
and we've got a rate there, we're talking about 40 children.
We've got a target to make sure
we keep below 40 children as first -time entrants.
Over the last two years, we've seen a reduction of 40 %
in first -time entrants, which is really positive.
So we're now at a level, I think in London,
there's only maybe one or two boroughs
below our rate at the minute.
So that's in a good position, but the target is the target.
In terms of mitigations, we have got a couple of new programmes running which are all about that diversion
and making sure young people are getting the right advice when they're in touch with the police
and when they're potentially in custody to try and avert that as the earliest opportunity.
We have had some success with that. There's a couple of those programmes, like two or three children have been through that
and inverted entering the justice system.
I guess the other thing I would say as a mitigation is
a significant investment in the youth service,
particularly the targeted outreach work.
We will start to see, and obviously there's a close working
between youth service and community safety colleagues
to make sure preventative measures are in place.
So I feel really optimistic now as the youth service
is now getting fully staffed,
and particularly the targeted youth provision will be getting out into hot
spots and intervening we should we should see and you know the business
case for investing in youth services a reduction in demand around youth justice
and other areas so I do feel optimistic so that is a target that's been set
which is challenging compared to our sort of benchmark but we still think we
and we can hit it next year.
The AMBA target, again, it's been set at a high level.
There are very few of our benchmark local authorities
which are hitting that level in terms of 75%.
And we are 73 .9 % at the minute, so on 74%.
There's a range of programmes.
The council and partners are doing some great work
around supporting our care leavers.
The council itself has a number of care leavers in work experience and
apprenticeships and our colleagues in employment skills are just putting on a
new a whole new cohort of care leavers in in work experience training
opportunities and and potentially jobs in the council. So the amber one is just
off target our commitment to our care leaver cohort you know think about
things like the investment in KitKat, Terrace and all that work and again
Ofsted inspection very positive about our support to care leavers gave it an
outstanding rating on that specific element. I do feel optimistic we should
hit that target but you're right we you know we we can't just carry on with this
red and amber so next year we have to hit it. I think maybe you have additional
materials yeah okay. Thank you very much chair so this week is national
Apprenticeship Week and we had our Apprenticeship Awards today. To follow on
from Steve's comments, we had a celebration of nine apprenticeships that
have come through either the Care Leaver or the SEND system, so you'll be aware
of following my appointment, part of my responsibilities will be the development
of a cohesive workforce strategy and as part of that we will increase our
targeted apprenticeships to support the broader organisational
objectives. So as a result of that I'm confident that those processes will
support Steve in achieving that outcome. Thank you for that answer.
Thank you for the Steve. One I wanted to focus in on and just
really impressed the fact that EHCPs complete within 20 weeks is green and
it's at 55 .8%.
So that's obviously really commendable,
it's really important that we're doing that.
I think my first question is,
is the target ambitious enough?
It's really great that it's at that,
there's still 44 or 44 .2 % of kids who need HCP,
it's not being completed within 20 weeks.
So my first question is, what more can we do
in terms of making sure we're being ambitious,
but we're really putting a resource there,
because once they, until they get any HCP,
like you know the kick the supporters are really kicking our schools do a
phenomenal job you've been able to support where they can but the funding
isn't there and so it does my first question and my broader question is
around you talk about the numbers of staff and you kind of come through the
KPIs and just welcome your assessment based on the kind of the charts that
you've given and yeah they go down to quite a lot of detail but how lean or is
the right number of staff and the right makeup of your director as a director to lead of your
service does this feel right we know their savings that you have to be made and that means
potentially making services leaner so your assessment of where you currently are and where
you think you might need to get to to really step it up the services do phenomenal work but it could
always be better. Thank you Steve yeah thank you councillor yeah really important areas you
you've asked about there.
I think compared to what I said on first -time entrance
and the care leavers into employment,
I think we have to be transparent and say,
in terms of educational and care plan performance,
there are a number of councils with better performance.
So when we reset the target going into the next year,
we do need to review that
and set a more challenging target.
I think the reason this year's target was set at that level
is because performance was so low last year
because of the volume.
We were looking at some stats today
and we're now at 4 ,800 plans.
So obviously there's the creation of the plan
and support and the families will then review of the plan.
So all that is a significant amount of work.
We have improved performance,
Which is a combination of sort of early help and prevention activity, but also we have put additional staff around the processes
To ensure we deliver education health and care plans. I was talking to one of our senior
Educational psychologists today was it was referring to the volume of work
but actually, you know, we were managing it quite well in the educational psychology service and
and reflecting on the feedback from other councils on where they were with those services.
We're in a good place with Ed Sykes, but obviously that's just one feed into the Education, Health and Care plans.
I am hopeful, as a lot of people are, we're due national reforms on SEND anytime now.
There's been some announcements around SEND capital investment in schools,
But really what we need is that investment and our own strategy is really around early
years investment and supporting children as early as possible and their families to ensure
that as you said schools work really hard and lots of schools are managing children
with additional needs without a plan.
Where they do need a plan you know you're absolutely right we need to get a plan in
place really quickly.
So we will be reviewing that target going into next year and reviewing how our resource matches it.
But I am hopeful that the reforms will maybe take some of the pressure off there as well.
We are due to hear about the national reforms quite soon.
In terms of our overall directorate, in terms of our staffing,
then we certainly have had some pressures around hard to recruit jobs so
we've probably talked about in the past the social work recruitment has been
quite difficult. Quite pleased this year we had quite a lot of more than ever
before transfers from agency to permanent so we've had a few sessions
with agency staff talking about the benefits of being permanent which has
been really good and talked about you know what it's like working in town
Hamlet's versus some other places which you know I think has been really
Helpful, but we're still we're still working on that. I think through the
Budget setting process we've been held to account by by by our cabinet by lead member and others
to reduce the use of agency and interims
because
In most cases it's a lot more expensive
So so we are we are seeing some progress on that and there's a piece of work. We're currently doing
corporately and with some consultancy and
And I'm actually leading on that corporately
Looking at our overall organisational structure
Which will look at the senior structure sort of right down to team manager level look at areas of potential duplication
look at workloads across the piece and lay out some options and I think that piece of work is gonna
Challenge us to think more about our structure and make sure we've got the right structure in place and make sure that they're sort of
Manages the staff ratio is appropriate as well
I guess stepping back, looking at what we've achieved in the last year or so,
and the outcomes we've achieved for our children and families,
then it feels like the structure is right.
But I think it's a really healthy process to step back and reflect
and cheque that we have got the right structure.
There's certainly some pinch points and SEND is one of them.
Making sure we've got the right structure and staffing around SEND is certainly one.
and social care. We're in a really good place in terms of keeping children with their immediate
family or wider family, but we are starting to see a little bit of a rise in demand there as well.
Thank you for that. I think you used to come in. Yes.
Thank you, Chair and thank you, Councillor. I think it's important to note that nationally
there is a shortage of educational psychologists because of the pressure on SEND, and what we have
attempted to do with the roles and structures within children's services is to make sure
that the activity is at the most appropriate level to enable the educational psychologist
to concentrate on continuing to address that and that is work that will continue when we
further the work that Steve has referred to in relation to the organisation wide review.
But there is more that we will continue to do through things like workforce planning
at a directorate level to lobby government to support us in those ambitions to deliver
the right outcomes for our children and young people.
Thank you. Moving on, I think, Councillor Abdul -Bai, did you raise your...
Yeah, okay, your comment?
Just a small thing. Thank you for this, Steve. No questions about your team.
If I was going to comment on your lead members' enthusiasm and trying to do good,
but can you just make sure you tell him I said that?
But I think my serious question was around this administration came in,
there was a talk about copying our neighbouring borough,
Newham, around the NCA Brompton Manor kind of academy,
kind of the whole gun blazing,
trying to get more kids into Oxbridge.
The mayor sold this idea to the thing.
I just wanted to ask in the HR setting,
was any money spent by the council
in looking at that option,
recruiting a potential person to lead on this?
If so, what happened, where is it?
And that's what I wanted to ask.
Yeah, the Institute of Academic Excellence was a proposal and a potential site was identified.
Some capital expenditure was made on that site.
It was the PDC for colleagues who know where that site is in the borough.
So we, and we have, you know, we've had some questions about the level of that spend on
capital but we didn't then because of the stage that was out ultimately it was
the DFE's decision when when the request was made about establishing that service
is the DFE's decision who came back and said they don't believe the the need is
in the borough because of the level of provision of education in the borough and
secondary schools and sixth form is the DFE effectively said we're not supporting
that proposal and we because they didn't agree with it we didn't go beyond
identifying a site and then potentially developing it so the idea you know we
didn't recruit anyone to lead that establishment or or go that that much
further with it at that time the gun blazing thing around excellence was
floated there was some initial some money spent on a feasibility at the PDC
Centre so I guess in the layman's term kite flying just like just before
elections and other ideas that could be floated by the current administration
but good officers time and energy was used yes or no answer will be sufficient
and I'm not trying to do you know a Senate kind of thing like yesterday I
saw on TV but yes or no will be useful for the viewers who are watching. All I
say is I wasn't around when the idea was originally put forward and that's and I
would also say that we've got some really good schools in our in our borough
already and and it is the case that some of the some of those more selective
schools in other boroughs have got our children in them. Thank you. Okay I think
We have a, oh, yeah, sure, sure.
Yes, let's go to Councillor Talha.
Your question or comment, please.
Yeah, so I just wanted to focus on two things, Steve.
Obviously, I commend a lot of the good work
that's happening.
I think with my community safety hat on,
there's obviously a lot of crossover with youth justice
and especially young terror hamlets.
So when it comes to the targeted youth team
and the work that they will be doing or are doing,
I do hope that there's going to be quite a big difference in reoffending or even crime
in general in our young population. I know there's a diversionary offer as part of that
targeted team looking at putting young people at the risk of crime into education, training
or whatever else. I think for me just looking back at myself and then some peers, a really
good employment opportunity for some changes their perspective totally and I
think we've historically even me growing up in this borough you know seeing
opportunities whether it's you know in the east or west but young people in the
borough not being able to access those opportunities is such a misfortune
because I do think it could actually genuinely divert people away from
and some other stuff.
So in terms of employment and skill service,
I know we and Ellen talked about opportunities for care leavers and apprenticeship week this week.
It is targeted towards the people that are furthest away from the labour market.
And with us currently having graduates within our borough not being able to access good employment,
and us having skilled people, what more do you
think we can do to support that group of residents who
are really struggling to access opportunity,
whether it's in borough or out of borough?
And there was something around the youth service,
which I've forgotten now, because I got distracted
by the previous comment, the Institute of Academic
Excellence, because that was definitely not electioneering.
this is definitely not anything but to offer the best for some of the young
people in our borough and the very fact that the government decided not to
support us is a misfortune you know it's definitely something we wanted to do
wanted to push but it's just unfortunate the government doesn't feel the same way
thank you thank you okay then you see doing to come and come in now thank you
chair thank you councillor yes certainly I've been really impressed with the work
that Shafi are interim director of Young Tower Hamlets
and his team have done already,
getting all the safe spaces up and running
and recruiting staff.
And I feel really optimistic now
that the success they're already having
in terms of engaging young people
and also that group that do need diverting away
from some other things where we're already seeing that.
But I think that in the next this year ahead,
will really start to see the impact on reduction in demand on youth justice and wider community
safety and anti -social behaviour. We should really start to be seeing that now. And I
think the fact that housing and regem will take the employment skills service back under
it because that's sort of where it usually sits, but the youth employment bit, the young
work path will move and sit as part of Young Tower Hamlet's really provides a really good
opportunity for us. But you've picked on something equally I am passionate about
and I was speaking to the young mayor and his deputy mayors who presented to
children scrutiny and they themselves just as you have said look there seems
to be lots of huge organisations and big business and others around our borough
how can we make it more systematic so it's not sort of like personal
connexions that a school or a governing body has with a particular employer
That actually we can bring a system around it where the council links with
Employers and it's more equitable that work experience job opportunities
training because we are blessed are we around our borough with lots of big employers and
opportunities and I think
You can find individual examples of school X having a great relationship with big business why and their pupils get lots of opportunities
but we do need to bring that in a more systematic approach and Elswith who leads employment skills is going to help us work on that.
There is real concern nationally, you've probably read about the number of children who are outside of Education and Employment training
and our latest figures in our borough actually are the highest they've ever been. We're in the top quintile nationally which is really encouraging.
Thank you.
I think we have, did you raise your hand?
Just coming.
Okay.
Councillor Shafiibai.
Thank you.
Yes, thank you.
And it's really refreshing to hear from corporate point of view about the where we were to where
we are storey.
And it's encouraging and it's a really good storey to sort of show and showcase.
and the centre of the excellence of education,
is it was a project that we,
as an ambitious target for our students
or our younger children in Tawa Hamlets.
And I think it's kind of sad to see many colleagues
that don't even believe in the school system in Tawa Hamlets
choose to put their children in private schools
rather than the schools in Tawa Hamlets.
So it doesn't really speak big volumes
of making comments on all those kinds of things.
Thank you.
Your question or comment, please.
Yeah, thank you.
I think it's important to highlight
when comments are made
and what's appropriate and not appropriate.
So just picking up on a certain point
made around kite flying.
I think the data, things need to be evidence -based.
and if you look at our data year on year for a number of years, we have failed our children at
Key Stage 5. That's a level 6 form as an institution. We do fantastic leading up to it,
leading up to their GCSEs and then when it comes to Key Stage 5, there is a drop and that's where
the inspiration came from. Now our talented young people deserve to have a centre of excellence,
and as a council we should be trying to deliver that for them. Now I appreciate
we've got numerous six forms around the borough however they're not delivering
to the point of other local authorities and expecting our children to then
travel to Newham and the City of London and other neighbouring boroughs in order
to get the level of education that they deserve, particularly after getting eights and nines
and topping their GCSE grades is not something that I feel I can accept and I have to challenge
and fight that.
However, the DFE feels our children travelling to neighbouring boroughs to get that higher
level of education to get those opportunities to get into Oxbridge to get into you know
Russell group universities to get into the top universities in the country and it's it's not that our children aren't able to do this from
Tower Hamlets, but they're going to neighbouring boroughs because the opportunity is greater and
as not just as a
The political administration when I was in opposition
okay, when I was not a councillor, we always aspired and endeavoured to provide the best for
the children of this borough. And I remember a time when I was of a different political party,
and I wasn't a councillor, and we sat in a room and we said, what's the best thing we can do?
What is it that we should achieve? And at that time, our schools were failing throughout,
and there was political drive in order to challenge that and raise the education
standards of kids and the level of education that's offered. And now we sit
in a local authority where the majority of the schools are outstanding
and good. But that came with political drive and wanting to establish change. So
it's really important to take that into account. And without ideas
and ambition nothing ever gets done. If we accept the status quo then we will
always accept that and expect others to deliver that gap. Now I want to put that
into context. When these children and young people are travelling on a bus two
hours a day, maybe up to three hours a day there and back, that's three hours a
day that they could have rested, that's three hours a day they could have
applied themselves in getting that work done if the offer was more local. So I'm
just putting it out there. But also the other area I wanted to pick up in
relation to this paper was there's no mention of anything around young people
and substance misuse within that paper and I would be interested because I know
we commissioned an external service to do that, particularly with the rise of
knocks, with the rise of synthetic opioids, you know, netizens, fentanyl,
within vapes and even vaping in itself, which is illegal for underage children.
In addition to that, smoking is another area that previously we would focus on
for young people and the laws changing year by year, increasing the age of those
who can purchase cigarettes. So it'd be interesting just to find out some of
that within that information.
Thank you Robert, that's very nice.
Steve, do you want to answer that comment?
Yeah, really quickly, certainly within our youth service, our head of service
previously did a really positive project with health colleagues around Knox and I
think one of the things we need to look at is how we fund projects like that and
certainly just support the Councillors point when we speak to head teachers at
the minute their concerns are around level of send, school place planning in
the fall in birth rate, use of vapes, social media phones and stuff like that, but all
of them have said they're getting more concerned about vapes.
So certainly with public health colleagues I'll be happy to provide an update on that.
If I could just briefly go back to the point about six form education.
I think one of the questions we have to ask ourselves as well as a borough and maybe wider
as a nation is. Our borough takes a really inclusive approach to making sure as many
of our children who want to do an A -level can and in the top ten nationally of ensuring
our children get to do that. What that means though is the more children who get to do
an A -level, the lower percentage get the highest scores and that is an issue and I guess a
philosophical question for those really selective schools and maybe for
Ofsted and the DfE to ask the question is should all schools be a little bit
more inclusive rather than set the bar up here and say well only children who
get that can come to our school is and another reflection we had some of our
young people of sixth form has come to again Children's Scrutiny Committee and
asked loads of questions and and said how they felt about it and I thought it
really interesting one of them said I went to another school in another
borough but I didn't like the sort of culture in that school and also being
back in town and being a resident of town I've benefited from the EMA scheme
education maintenance allowance which financially really helped him and his
family so I thought that you know that that was that was really positive I
guess one of the differences in some of our schools they have something called
the elephant programme which is is supporting them to get ready for Oxbridge
interviews and and go into universities like that the schools were talking about
in other boroughs that are selective all the children are pushed through that
scheme and that's the difference thanks thank you we have only two minutes
remaining for this this item your your comment a question please yeah you've
I kind of partially answered it, Steve.
You're the corporate director for children's services,
so they have a relationship with our schools
up and down the borough.
I wonder if they had an assessment on the potential
to have a selective college, sixth floor,
whatever you want to call it.
I think you've just done a sterling defence,
or quite frankly, of why a decision wasn't the right one
and why DFE did turn it down.
As subtle as it was, hopefully people understood it.
But how schools perceive this, because it would have taken kids, rather than mixing kids with those who are talented
and those who need a bit more support into schools, it would have essentially sapped up all of the what we call talented kids, even I believe the all talented, into one selective school.
So one of the main reasons DFE didn't approve it, because there was a quality of schools in Tal Hamid.
So I wonder what their perspective was on this and the potential of this white elephant.
I think the assessment and obviously you can't talk about head teachers all having the same opinion, but I think it's fair to say there was a concern, largely because as we're seeing now and more acute in other boroughs, the birth rate falling has led to smaller numbers of children in primary and we're now starting to see that in secondary.
and a lot of headteachers will tell you that the funding they get for sixth form and the number of children there
helps them almost balance the books in other parts of their their school and things like
Having a large and effective sixth form is what attracts some of the higher quality teachers as well
That's what head teachers will tell you that having a good sixth form. So there was there was a concern that
Any additional provision and and I have to be you know, really open and transparent
and individually schools also have their own ideas
about their own expansion and I totally understand
that individually school governing bodies and schools
have plans and consider their own expansion
and their own criteria but I think there is,
as we're seeing across particularly the capital now
across London, real concern about financial viability
of both primary and potentially now secondary schools
which fed into people's views about that.
Thank you everyone.
Okay, now we'll move on to the next item.
Item 4 .2, update on senior recruitment.
Okay.
Thank you, Chair.
So I'm going to...
Yeah, yeah, just before I come to you, there's a reason...
I think she may just be bringing that up now.
Okay, yes, okay.
Okay, I'll pass it on to Alan Clark.
You have 10 minutes.
Thank you very much chair, so I'm referring to item agenda item 4 .2 and the subsequent additional appendix
That was forwarded to committee members
And I'm bringing an update today on the current position on the recruitment to senior management vacancies
And I've got a request to the committee to approve the extension of interim arrangements beyond the six month period
Three of which are included in the paper and one in the appendices
So you will see as part of the first item that since the last HR committee on the 22nd
of December there has been no further appointments made to senior positions.
That has been a conscious decision following my appointment to consider the longer term
approach.
So we have a number of posts that are currently vacant that are sat in the recruitment and
selection process.
The first of which is the director of Young Tower Hamlets.
The second of which I'll draw out from here is the director of adult social care.
And the third one is the director of commissioning.
I'm in discussions as is the chief exec with the relevant corporate directors
on the most suitable approach bearing in mind the wider organisational review that Steve Brede has referred to.
And also an acknowledgement that we will shortly be approaching the perder period
which will prevent permanent appointments for a period of time.
There are, you will note, two other positions that are there
that I would like to bring to the attention of the committee today,
the first of which is the corporate director of communities.
Committee will be aware that following Simon's
illness, Simon Baxter's illness and then subsequent passing,
we had asked Steve Ready and David Joyce to take on joint accountability
for communities. We have subsequently gone out for an interim and at the point
of writing the report there wasn't an update, but I would like to note that we
have offered Gillian Marston the position on a six -month interim basis.
Gillian has accepted that and that is due to take effect on a graduated basis
from next week. The second position in there is the Corporate Director of
resources, you'll be aware that we had acting up arrangements in place with
Abdul Razak Kasim in the position and again following discussions with the
chief exec, the decision was taken to go out for additional support but by way of
an interim. Again we have offered the position to an individual but in
accordance with the terms of the Constitution that decision needs to be
ratified at full council on the 25th of February so a further report on that
appointment will be coming to full council. So I'll pause at that point before I go on to the
exchange. Thank you for that. You know, just, Abdulrujak is a 151 officer, isn't it? Yes.
Oh, he's, okay. Pick up. Right, thank you for that. Members, do you have any comments or questions?
Yeah, okay. So I appreciate you can't talk about, sorry, by the way, welcome to Tohamis.
I don't think we've actually met.
I wish you can't talk about the new interim 151 officer.
But I just wanted to ask about their past.
Had they previously been a section 151 officer,
so they've got experience and a robustness to come to a council at Tallhamlets.
Thank you very much, Councillor.
I can confirm they've not only been a section 151,
they've held senior leadership positions at a corporate director level.
So don't just bring the technical expertise,
but bring the whole organisational expertise.
Okay any other members? Okay yeah sorry apologies. The three offices I won't name them but in terms
of extending their time I guess post -election perder and so forth I just worry because I made
reference to the other one where there was a the administration party was you
know spinning it but the accelerated housing development I mean this is money
well be well spent or is another pre -election kite flying thing which I'm
just you know it's value for money that's what I'm looking at
so okay so I'll do you to shed some light on this yes thank you so if we
on to the second part and as the Councillor has highlighted we have got
the approval sought to four extensions the first is of which is the extension
to the engagement of Mark Norman the interim director of governance and to
provide continuation of support throughout the election period and I
think it's also an acknowledgement that obviously we do have envoys that are
currently supporting us here at Tower Hamlets and it is just about ensuring
that we have continuation whilst we look at the broader picture again I'll refer
to the wider organisational review that is due to take effect.
In relation to the second one, we have the extension of Shafir Rahman
as the interim director of youth services.
That has become a necessity because it is linked to a broader organisational objective.
We talked today about some of the challenges that we're facing in our children and youth services,
and we want to make sure that that is outcome based.
The third of which is the extension of Jeff Pearce
as director of the accelerated and priority projects.
This is linked to strategic objectives
on the housing programme,
which again is a massive impact to our residents,
and we want to make sure that we maintain momentum,
especially in light of the additional legislation
that has been put into effect there.
And then the additional one which came through,
which I'll talk to her around the reason
it came through subsequently,
is for the engagement of Matthew White.
This is around adult social care. It's a short -term extension to enable the corporate director of health and adult social care to be able to assess the support that she needs in her leadership structure over the longer term.
So to the point that the member has raised,
this is around continuity of service
on key strategic projects focused around the outcomes
that we are seeking to deliver as a council,
but are also linked to wider,
long -term strategic workforce planning.
And to illustrate that, if I could just say,
I apologise for the fact that we've had a late paper today.
You will see in the provision of the report
that it does allow under section 1 .3, section 5 .3 states that we can bring retrospective
requests to the HR committee. But on my appointment, I'm very much around actually having a proactive
approach so there can be a meaningful decision made at HR committee. So I do apologise, that's
an additional structure and system that I've put in place to enable HR committee to be
making proactive decisions moving forward.
Thank you, that's understandable. Okay, Chancellor Abdul -Bai and then moving on to the others.
Thank you. Well, first of all, publicly I want to say, acknowledge your appointment and this is
reassuring to have a permanent person in your position. With that, I don't like to name officers
in public, but the officer, you've named them, but one of the officers, I've met them, they're
fantastic human being, professional, but I just wanted to raise the point around, you know,
pre -election keeping the kite flying as I this is the term that I'm going to be using for
for the foreseeable future. But I wanted to bring to the committee's attention is about the trust
and goodwill and the reputation of this council seen outside. We as members get involved in
recruitment being informed of senior roles and you know I've been involved and many of the people
our colleagues in this room have been involved in recruiting very good decent staff. Where we
and we are not involved but it is left to you
and your team
and certain people below that
to recruit staff.
It is important that the people in the community
feel confident.
There is a rumour around that
night time coaching is taking place
for certain jobs
in the Council
that are being coached
to certain people
who have aligned
to the administration.
I will put it there.
It is being recorded.
Can I call a point of order?
No.
There is no point of order.
Let me finish.
I will finish through the chair.
I just want to put it there on record, Mr Chair.
People have fear and concern.
You did say it's allegations, so I think it's best because you cannot provide evidence,
so I think it's best we stay away from this.
That's why I said allegations, you know, Mr Chair.
We have different purpose here.
But those allegations will be produced to the council and the envoy soon.
Okay, but that should...
We are here to look into this proactively.
This is my request to anyone.
We are here to look at the agenda and see what is best for our Council.
It's not electionary.
Thank you.
Okay.
Do you wish to come in here, please?
Thank you.
So the one thing that I would acknowledge is the concerted effort that has been taken to reduce the reliance on interim workers
and to provide long -term sustainable leadership across a variety of roles and that is an area of priority for me and my team.
Steve, do you just add something else?
Just a really quick point on senior recruitment and with envoys involved.
So I was appointed a year and a half ago and the lead envoy sat on the interview panel for my appointments and
They have been involved. I understand in the short listing and on the interview panels ever since then
So just to reassure the committee that they are overseeing senior appointments. Thanks. Great. That's great to know
Reassuring. Okay, moving on a council of the sorry
That's fine, thank you chair, um, so
So in terms of, I think I've said this,
like I'm breaking record over and over again,
I don't think there's sufficient amount of information
in these reports.
You're asking us to approve these.
I take it on good faith that we're approving them
because of necessity, you've kind of laid it out.
But under 4 .1, it talks about the criteria,
statutory implications, and one of them,
you mentioned the end point,
and you're speaking about best value.
It would be really helpful moving forward
if you can lay out how much, even if it's in pink papers,
how much this is costing the council for these extensions
because otherwise we just don't know this information.
4 .5, the last sentence, I think probably,
it talks about swiftness or cheapness
and we have nothing to go on.
I think you're bouncing the committee into these decisions.
I say the council's not you, but like into these decisions.
So I'd really appreciate looking at how these,
with the kind of the new energy that you come with
in this role, how this is presented.
I take absolutely the point about it's coming late and why it's coming late.
But in its current form there is a few sentences to extend.
I'm not sure this is the best thing because I'm not being given information,
but I'm being bounced in the decision because of continuity of service.
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you very much for the feedback, Councillor noted, and we will take forward.
Thank you.
So moving, okay, Councillor, coming away, your comment or question please.
Thank you, Chair. I am kind of dismayed at the level of gutter trash politics that individuals are bringing to this committee.
I will have my say, Chair, if you don't mind.
No, no, of course you have every right to say, but I stopped...
I will ask that certain allegations are thrown out time and time again within this committee's meeting.
I have refrained from speaking about it previously.
I've informed the member on numerous occasions if there are allegations, it needs to go to
the monitoring officer and not spread out in public meetings.
And this happens again and again, and the member feels it's appropriate to throw slurs
and allegations in public meetings.
It's not acceptable.
I did stop Councillor Algernon.
I would ask you to seek guidance from both the monitoring officer in relation to this,
because it's totally not appropriate to throw allegations and put in words such as
and so on and so forth.
It's not appropriate for this meeting.
There needs to be stringent enforcement of that, Speaker.
We need to focus on the agenda, please.
We don't want to go into the other side.
I did stop the Councillor, if there's any issues, if there's any mishaps or anything,
they need to go through the right process.
Not here, please.
Thank you.
Okay.
Moving on.
We need to approve the extension.
Does any member...
Again, just picking up, you know, what I will say is in terms of extensions and continuations of directors,
particularly where recruitment hasn't taken place, this is normal process of a council and it happens across the land.
and maybe Ellen, who has joined us from other councils
and with a wealth of experience as a director
can comment on sort of extensions of interim director posts.
Is this normal practise within the land
and multiple councils all around the land?
Kate.
Thank you very much, Councillor.
There are extensive resourcing and recruitment challenges,
especially in key roles, such as the statutory officers.
as they are recognised challenges.
We have the LGA London Council supporting us with that.
And clearly what we don't want as a council
is to have gaps in our senior leadership team
for extended use of time.
So it is appropriate that interim is used
in those instances.
But again, I would go back to the acknowledgement
of the outcome of the strategic workforce plan
that I will be looking to create
is to make sure we have got that internal resilience
moving forward to support in addressing the feedback
that has been given.
But thank you councillor. Okay. Thank you
Just just picking up the point raised by councillor of the about the financial cost of these extensions
Are you able to give us any light on that? Oh, I can provide further information
But it would need to be as a pink paper given the nature of the disclosure and on the next next
I will go to the next question.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
I will go to the next one.
on why we need to extend or why we need to consider,
that I think would be more helpful,
as opposed to just focusing on one bit of information,
because I'm just thinking at the next meeting,
if you were to show it costs X amount
to extend this person, for that reason,
we don't want to extend it.
I don't think that's sufficient either for myself.
So I think there has to be good enough reason for us to,
and some of that, I agree, is probably missing,
and some of that is there.
So I think as a committee,
We just need to be clear on what it is exactly that we need as opposed to just one item or two.
That's great, yes, okay. I'll go with that.
I think the council is missing my point entirely.
Okay, go on then.
We've probably got 10 % of what I was talking about.
Under 4 .1, it bullet points what six things that people are looking for.
We've currently got a sentence for why each of the extensions.
So along with best value, which is the money granted, there's consultations, there's environmental,
There's risk management, crime reduction, safeguarding.
No, no, it's OK.
Let me finish here.
So my point was, how are we able to make an informed decision
if you've given up a sentence and use money
as one excuse or one example?
Because it's the first one, best value implications.
So my simple point was, in a paragraph which
had more information, or as Ed has mentioned,
Sen is fine in pink paper with information.
And you verbally told us why it was important.
So let's not misconstrue what I'm saying.
if you want to look at 4 .1 which goes in okay 4 .1 goes into the many reasons the
statutory implications and it'd be great to have more information about it rather
than just a sentence is my point okay I've used one example I think you got
why I meant hopefully and I'm gonna leave it at that.
So okay we need to approve these extensions and obviously all the points
are noted, so can I ask members to extend for the extension?
Thank you.
We may have our differences, but we need to extend it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, everyone.
Moving on to next item is 4 .3.
The employee relations casework and policy quarterly review.
Please note this report has pink papered supplement.
And committee members should not discuss any details in this report.
If the committee wants to discuss the details outlined in the Pink Paper, I'll suggest that
the committee goes into closed session.
And for that I would need a proposer and a seconder.
So what shall we do?
Shall we go into closed session or if we need to discuss it, then we have to go to closed
session.
Okay then.
So, committee, are you proposing it?
Okay.
Councillor Abdu, seconded.
So we'll go into a closed session on this item.
Okay.
Just a second.
Just give us a few minutes to get everything ready.