Peterborough City Council to recruit two new top executives to drive growth

The appointments are part of the restructuring of management teams across both Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Steve Cox, the city council’s Executive Director for Place and Economy told members of the Extraordinary Employment Committee at its online meeting this week: “The new role of Assistant Director of Growth and Regeneration is to be shared post across both councils.

“We have great ambitions for the growth of the city of Peterborough, all part of the economic regeneration that is ongoing and which will require added impetus, post-Covid-19.

“There are a number of high-profile schemes and projects planned that the city council needs to drive forward – the University of Peterborough, the Station Quarter, North Westgate, the city centre regeneration and renewal, these are all top priorities for us.

“Coupled to this is the direction we want to go in respect of the new ‘Towns Fund’, and the submission that we made at the end of July to secure £25m from that.

“The role will therefore require high-level skills in terms of negotiating with developers and attracting investors to come in, but also working with communities and existing businesses.

“The role is currently being delivered by an interim Director, but that role will come to an end, and a permanent appointment made.

“The Assistant Director for Housing role is only for Peterborough City Council, and again we’ve had a person in an interim role for the last seven months – but again that will come to an end with the appointment of a permanent position.

“We’ve seen the benefits of having strategic leadership in our housing service with significant improvements in the way homelessness and rough sleeping have been managed.

“We’ve also been able to significantly reduce costs through bed and breakfast in that period, and there are plans to look at what we can do further down the line to shape the service to bring the supply of housing in line with demand, and the establishment of a Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

“Therefore, a more strategic approach to housing requires leadership that needs to be provided at assistant director level.”

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald asked how the costs for the two roles would be met.
Mr Cox said: “Remuneration for these two roles will be met through increased rent collection and costs reduction for homelessness and the like.”

Cllr Mohammed Jamil asked: “Are these roles going to be advertised nationally, because the last thing I would want is someone out there thinking we’re just creating positions for our friends already employed – which is an accusation that’s been levelled at the council in the past.”
Mr Cox said: “These are high-profile roles and so, yes, we will be advertising nationally for them.

“We need to get the very best people to do these particular functions for the council as they’re both within quite tough markets to recruit in.

“I’m not going to say it’ll be easy to find the right person but I think the ambition and excitement we have here in Peterborough will be communicated in the way we promote the roles, which in turn will generate interest from appropriate candidates.

“Having spoken to various agencies and explained to them our specific needs and ambitions, as well as doing a bit of testing of the market by myself, there are similar roles in other councils that have been filled, so I do feel confident we can find the right people with the right skills for the challenges ahead.”

Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald said: “The remuneration scale for this role has been set at £97,575 at the top end – which is the average pay for this position – which begs the question: if we’re looking to appoint the very best person possible in this role, is that ‘average’ salary going to be enough to attract them?”

Mr Cox replied: “I think it is. That salary level would’ve been tested across the market and the figure correct for the role.

“Recruiting agencies tell me £97,575 is acceptable for that level of responsibility and they believe will attract good candidates.”

Cllr Fitzgerald came back: “What are the implications of our failing to secure an appointment; because budgets and everything else are dependant upon these appointments that you’re factoring in – so, do you need any ‘manoeuvring room’ from the Committee to ensure that you can make an appointment?”

“Mr Cox answered: “It’s difficult at this stage to predict who will come in –  manoeuvring room may be a factor if we get to a position where there’s a very good candidate wanting a little more than the top-end of the salary band.

“It’s not something I’m expecting; but, having that room is always helpful, so perhaps I can ask the Committee to consider it at a later stage if we need to and when we have the candidates in front of us.”

Members approved the creation of the two roles and the immediate recruitment process for the posts.

A Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is intended to record expenditure and income on running a council’s own housing stock and closely related services or facilities, which are provided primarily for the benefit of the council’s own tenants.