who wants a job
Cardiff council have been advertising a post for three years and still haven’t found someone to take it.
A council can’t find someone to take an £80,000 job in its children’s services department – and may now hike the salary by another £15,000.
Cardiff Council hasn’t had a permanent appointment for assistant director for three years.
The authority has attempted to find an assistant director of children’s services since October 2013 – but, despite offering the hefty salary, has been unable to do so.
Now the chief executive has recommended councillors approve a so-called “market supplement” for the post, which would effectively give whoever took over the role a wage of almost £95,000 for their first 12 months.
The position – currently being filled on an interim basis – has been advertised four times between October 2013 and January this year. In that time just 18 applications were made.
A job was offered to one applicant although it was declined for personal reasons, WalesOnline reports.
walesonline SJayne Cowan
Councillor Jayne Cowan said Cardiff Council’s “reputation” is a factor in why no one wants the job.
The salary being offered falls below that of equivalent positions at other UK councils, which is why a 12-month market supplement, equivalent to a 15% pay rise for a year, is recommended to be offered.
In 2012, Cardiff council’s employment conditions committee set an £80,000 salary for assistant directors, a wage which has since risen to £82,416.
However, it was £1,700 less than the median salary for the role in other councils – and many offered £96,000 or more.
But one senior opposition councillor suggested it would take more than a higher salary to attract the right person for the job – arguing the council did not have a good reputation as an employer.
Cardiff council’s 2015 employee survey, published in September last year, recorded an average score of just 5.55 when staff were asked to rate – out of 10 – how much they would recommend the council as an employer. In the children’s services department that figure stood at 5.40.
walesonline Cardiff council
Cardiff council has not had a permanent assistant director of children’s services for three years
Overall, just over 30% of respondents gave a rating of eight or more when asked if they would recommend it.
And Conservative councillor for Rhiwbina Jayne Cowan said the difficulty in filling the children’s services role could be another symptom of the same problem.
“Unfortunately the reputation of Cardiff council could be a contributory factor,” Coun Cowan said. “The last staff survey showed that nearly 70% of staff would be to reluctant to recommend the council as an employer – this speaks volumes.
“I don’t think the additional 15% will help to attract the high calibre and highly performing individual Cardiff desperately needs.
“It’s deeper than that. I think a change of political leader would start to improve confidence within the council and in the city.”
But Cardiff council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for early years, children and families, Sue Lent, said: “The importance of this role cannot be underestimated, not least due to its safeguarding responsibilities.
“It is essential for us to deliver an effective service to some of the city’s most vulnerable children.
“Recent evidence suggests that we will not fill this vital role without taking this step.
“The national social services job market is extremely competitive across all salary scales, but particularly at senior level. Like a number of UK local authorities, the City of Cardiff council considers the use of market supplements when necessary, in order to attract the best candidates for the job.
“In its recent assessment of the job market, accountancy firm Hays identified the average salary for the post of Children’s Services Assistant Director in local government as being £84,111 a year, with some councils paying as much as £96,209. Cardiff city council’s current pay structure sets the salary for assistant directors at £82,416.
“To ensure that the city council’s salary for Children’s Services Assistant Director is competitive, the report being presented to the employment conditions committee recommends the introduction of a market supplement.
“If approved, a 15% supplement would be added for one year following appointment, at which point the supplement will be reviewed to consider whether it is preserved, decreased or removed, based on the business-need and market conditions at that time. Market supplements are in line with the local authority’s pay policy that is agreed annually by full council.”
She also said a Local Government Data Unit Wales report showed Cardiff had “the most improved social services in the country”.
A council committee will consider the recommendations at a meeting on Monday.
Link : Daily Mirror.
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Jeffery Davies
