Agenda item

The Area Council Manager introduced this item and provided Members with background information which had given rise to the need to request an extension to the funding and term for the role of the Private Sector Housing and Migration Officer in the Dearne Area, outlining the options available to Members which were listed in the report. 

Members were reminded that in October 2018 Dearne Area Council agreed to extend funding for the post until March 2020.  The postholder at that time was on secondment but found permanent employment and left in March 2019.  The post has been vacant since, despite two recruitment attempts.  The Area Manager and Safer Neighbourhoods Tasking Officer have concluded that in order to recruit successfully the post would need to be made more attractive, based on a longer term and with minor changes to the job profile.  Based on initial costings the role would cost £32,000 per year and would be performance and finance dependent.  Members felt that extending the post would also give the postholder a chance to build up experience and local knowledge.  A delegated report would be required to formally extend the post.

RESOLVED that

(i)            A Service Level Agreement be entered into with the Safer Communities Service to provide a Housing and Migration Officer for a 12 month period (funding previously approved by the Area Council), with the provision to extend this by a further period of 12 months at a cost of £32,000.  This will take the post (finance dependent) to 2021;

(ii)          The Area Council Manager will prepare a delegated report to formally extend the post; and

(iii)         Minor amendments will be made to the job profile to increase the chances of a successful recruitment campaign.