Concerns raised as Sefton looks for new children’s boss
SEFTON Council is looking for a new chief for its troubled children’s services to replace outgoing director Martin Birch earlier than anticipated.
Recruitment is underway for to replace executive director for children’s services Mr
Birch, with an advertisement for his job, paying up to £128k a year now being advertised online.
A meeting of Sefton’s children’s services scrutiny committee held was notable by Mr Birch’s absence, cabinet member Cllr Mhairi Doyle revealed the director was leaving the council on Friday for “personal reasons.”
Mr Birch who was appointed in January last year and took up his post in April following the council’s inadequate
Ofsted rating announced his impending departure last month less than a year into his role.
A council spokesperson said at the time that he had “tendered his resignation” and was due to leave in April.
The council spokesperson cited “personal reasons” behind Mr Birch’s departure, who was understood to be taking up a role in Cumbria, closer to where he lives.
However, at the children’s services meeting held this week it was revealed Mr Birch’s departure from the council would actually be this Friday, March 10, as the outgoing director is taking outstanding leave.
Cllr Judy Hardman said: “He has every right to leave of course, but I’m concerned we will miss him.
“We’ve talked a lot about the importance of stability and relationships and this is a big hit. What are we going to do?”
Cllr Doyle said the vacancy was now out with a date set for the end of May for interviews.
She added: “I’m very clear about what type of DCS we want, someone in Martin’s footsteps” and gestured to his interim replacement, current assistant director of health and protection Risthardh Hare, who was sitting next to her.
Cllr Doyle said: “Martin made a huge difference in the year he’s been here, we’re a lot further on and going up. We’ve come a huge way forward.”
Cllr Judy Hardman said: “We don’t want someone saying we’ve got to go this way instead.”
Cllr Doyle said: “Well, I’m still here.”
Liberal democrat Cllr Llloyd-Johnson asked whether candidates would have full copies of the improvement plan “so they can fully understand what they’re coming into.”
Cllr Doyle said: “Look, the improvement plan is there, I’d expect a potential candidate to see what they’re taking on.”
Cllr Lloyd-Johnson said:
“But will you give it to them?” to which Cllr Doyle responded: “I don’t see why not if they ask for it.”
Sefton Conservative leader Cllr Prendergast said he was concerned Cllr Doyle had already “made your mind up” about not wanting external candidates.
He said: “We need stability, I can understand that, my concern is that it seems to me you might have made your mind up that an external candidate might not be likely.”
Cllr Doyle said that is not the case, adding: “At the moment with Ristardh there is stability, but he might not want to apply.”
Cllr Prendergast said: “It sounded a little like you’d decided against someone who might have fantastic ideas that might be different to Martin’s.”
Cllr Doyle said she would be looking for some who would “fit Sefton as we’re going forward not backwards.”
She added: “We will get someone we feel will do the job properly. We didn’t do a bad job with Martin did we?”