DD142 Appointment of Green Park (Executive Search Agency) to manage the Independent Planning Committee Member recruitment process

As a Local Planning Authority, OPDC has delegated to its Planning Committee the powers to consider and determine planning applications. The Planning Committee also advises the OPDC Board in its Local Plan, its Community Infrastructure Levy charging schedule, matters of planning policy, and any other planning related issues.

The Planning Committee has eight members:

• The Chair of the Planning Committee (who is also a Board Member)
• Four elected Councillors - one from each of the host boroughs of Brent and Ealing and two from Hammersmith & Fulham,
• Three independent members

Following the resignation of one of the independent Planning Committee Members, this decision form is seeking approval for expenditure for an executive search agency to manage a recruitment process to fill the vacancy.

The engagement of a professional executive search agency will help ensure we have the best pool of candidates to choose from and address our priority to achieve as diverse a pool as possible in a sector where there is significant under-representation, particularly of ethnic minorities.

OPDC has engaged Green Park previously, including for the recruitment process for Board and Planning Committee Members in 2018. They have a good knowledge of our organisation and requirements, and they were also successful in sourcing talented candidates from a diverse background.

Therefore, we have identified Green Park as the most suitable executive search agency to manage the recruitment process for a new Planning Committee Member.

The appointment will be made by the OPDC Chair in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Committee and subject to consent to the appointment from the Mayor of London.

The proposal and how it will be delivered

Green Park will attend a scoping meeting with appropriate OPDC Senior Officers and the Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager to agree the following:

• Clarification of roles and responsibilities and main points of contact
• The specific requirements of, and preferences for, the role
• A Campaign Planning Document (CPD) outlining the proposed process and programme to include a weekly report on search activity
• The production and content of a Microsite, advert and candidate pack.
• The management of the initial sift, shortlisting and final stage interview process

Green Park will manage the recruitment process for a new Planning Committee Member which includes:

• Using their broad network and contacts in the industry to source and identify the most qualified and diverse candidates that meet our criteria and requirements
• Management of the recruitment process, advising on best practice and guidance to ensure that we meet the intended objectives
• Sourcing a high-quality pool of diverse candidates for final panel interview

OPDC will review the recommendation list provided by Green Park and will determine who will be invited for the final panel interview.

Strategic fit

Engaging Green Park will maximise the potential of appointing a candidate that brings the skills and expertise that the Planning Committee requires. This is key to ensuring that the development of the area meets OPDC's strategic objectives.

Our aspiration is for the overall Planning Committee to match the economically active profile of London. Green Park will support us with our Diversity and Inclusion objectives, with the aim of attracting a diverse pool of candidates.

Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, OPDC must have 'due regard' to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as to the need to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

It is the Mayor of London's aspirations for GLA Group senior roles, Boards and Committees to reflect the diversity profile of London. Green Park have been identified as a good fit to support the OPDC with the recruitment process as they specialise in executive search with a diversity focus.

Green Park specialise in diversity and inclusion, culture and leadership. They embed this through their dedicated diversity, inclusion, culture & ethics (DICE) practice that works with external organisations to support their aspirations and accelerate their progress. They also embed diversity and inclusion through their executive search and interim management practices and through leadership behaviours and employee values.

Project governance and assurance

Green Park will be responsible for managing the recruitment process for a new Planning Committee Member. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager is the lead Senior Officer and she will work closely with Green Park during the recruitment process.

Green Park will hold weekly progress update meetings with the Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager and Director of Planning to discuss progress made with the executive search exercise, and candidate that have expressed interest in the opportunity. Green Park will ensure that the results of all approaches are fully documented to detail if candidates are interested, not interest and the reasons why.

Green Park will also conduct further assessment of the interested candidates to ensure suitability for the role, validate the candidate's experience, understand their expectations and ability to commit time required to the role. It is important that Green Park source talented candidates from a diverse background. During the weekly catch up meetings, Green Park will be required to provide an update about progress made with attracting diverse candidates. These weekly meetings will also allow for a change of approach if the interest coming forward is not from a diverse pool of candidates.

Green Park will arrange a shortlisting meeting with interview panel members and provide a list of candidates that they recommend to take forward to final panel interviews. OPDC will make the final decision on who will be taken through to interview. They will also be responsible for the logistical arrangements of final panel interviews.

Risk and issues

The only significant risk identified at this stage is that Green Park are unable to source a high quality pool of diverse candidates. The mitigations are that Green Park have a broad network of high quality and diverse contacts in the industry. Also, during the recruitment exercise Green Park will carefully monitor the interest, and applications of candidates from diverse backgrounds. The attraction strategy will be modified if there is a cause for concern.

Other considerations

Use and justification of single-source procurement route

The OPDC's Contracts and Funding Code requires OPDC to seek a call-off from a suitable framework (where possible) or to undertake a formal tender process. However, this decision form seeks approval for an exemption from the Contracts and Funding Code to procure Green Park without a competitive procurement.

OPDC has approached HR functions with the GLA Group to establish whether they could support us with a recruitment exercise for a new Planning Committee Member. However, they were unable to support us on this occasion. The Planning Committee meetings are held monthly; therefore it is imperative that we recruit to the role immediately to ensure the smooth running of the committee and its activities. We were also working with tight timescales, to ensure that recruitment process was launched before the commencement of the Mayoral pre-election period.

OPDC has used Green Park in the past to run a recruitment exercise for Board Members and Planning Committee Members in 2018. They managed the process successfully, and achieved a shortlist of talented and diverse candidates, that were put forward for final panel interviews.

Considering the specific circumstances TfL procurement has agreed that a Single Source Justification would be acceptable and that we could engage with Green Park for the purposes of managing the recruitment process for a new Planning Committee Member.

Conflicts of interest

No on involved in the preparation or clearance of this Form, or its substantive proposal, has any conflict of interest.

Total expenditure of up to £15,00 to be split between £7,500 funded from the 2020/21 HR & OD budget, and £7,500 from the 2021/22 HR & OD budget; this apportionment reflects the balance of work undertaken by the recruiter in the respective accounting periods as confirmed by them.

Further expenditure and contract variation are subject to the Corporation's decision-making process.

Please ensure adherence to the Contracts and Funding Code, and that any procurement undertaken is in line with the Corporation's Procurement Guidance.

There are no specific issues arising from the decision that requires Legal comments.