Cambridgeshire_and_Peterborough Children’s_Commissioning

June 2023 Leadership Update

As you may be aware, Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have been working towards the separation of the senior leadership and the majority of functions related to Children’s Social Care, Education, Adult Social Care and Commissioning.  Both authorities have now made a number of senior appointments to key leadership roles in these functions as the process of transition and separation works towards its conclusion.

Both Chief Executives, are committed to ensuring that this process of separation results in no detriment to either Council and, particularly, to our service users.  This planned and managed transition has, to date, enabled us to make a number of these changes successfully.  Whilst further changes will be embedded in the coming weeks we expect that by 1 August, the vast majority of these services will be led and managed within each of our respective authorities under the leadership of our respective Executive Directors.  Whilst these arrangements will ensure a renewed focus by both Councils upon our distinct priorities and drive for improvement, we will continue to work effectively as partners with each other and within the wider system of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Cambridgeshire County Council:

Children, Education and Families Directorate

Within Children, Education and Families (CEF):

• Martin Purbrick has joined us as our new permanent Executive Director for Children, Education and Families (CEF) to the County Council.  Elaine Redding who worked as our shared interim Executive Director has now handed over the statutory responsibilities to Martin as Director of Children’s Services (DCS).
• Jonathan Lewis, Service Director: Education, will be returning fully to the County Council during June to be solely focussed upon Cambridgeshire, along with the key members of his team.  As part of the new Children, Education and Families Directorate, Jon will be reporting to Martin Purbrick as our Executive Director.
• Samantha Howlett has stepped up to the role of acting Service Director: Children’s Social Care and Targeted Support, also reporting to our new Executive Director for Children, Education and Families.  Sharmain Lawrence provided support as interim Assistant Director: Children’s Social Care, across both authorities. Sharmain’s assignment with Cambridgeshire has now concluded.
• Alison Bennett, formerly joint Assistant Director: Quality Assurance within Children’s Social Care, returned to Peterborough City Council full-time.  In place of Alison, Brian Relph has been engaged as the County Council’s interim Service Director: Quality Assurance and Practice Improvement for Children’s Social Care, reporting to Martin Purbrick.  Brian will remain with us whilst we complete national recruitment for this key role in the new leadership team for Cambridgeshire.
• Ricky Cooper, shared Assistant Director: Fostering and Adoption, has taken the opportunity to move on from his role and will be leaving towards the end of June.  We are currently recruiting, nationally for a new Service Director: Fostering and Adoption, who will be employed by Cambridgeshire and will lead these services for both Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, including the Regional Adoption Agency.

Adults, Health and Commissioning Directorate

Within Adults, Health and Commissioning (AHC),

• Patrick Warren-Higgs has joined as Executive Director for Adults, Health and Commissioning and our Statutory Director of Adult Social Services (DASS) for Cambridgeshire County Council. With Patrick having taken up his role Debbie McQuade will be returning to Peterborough City Council as Service Director for Adult Services following a handover with Patrick.
• Will Patten, Service Director: Commissioning, will be transitioning from his current shared role across both authorities to resume a role fully focussed upon Cambridgeshire over the next few weeks.  Will and the County Council’s Commissioning Team will report into Patrick and will also support Children’s Commissioning.
• Donna Glover and Kirstin Clarke will both be taking up Service Director: Adult Social Care roles with the County Council.  Both Donna and Kirstin are in the process of transitioning into these remits from their former roles as shared Assistant Directors and are expected to be fully focussed on Cambridgeshire from later this month.
• Tracy Gurney leaves the County Council have given long and good service in Adult Social Care and, particularly, in the Learning Disability Partnership.  Tracy has secured an exciting new promotion as Operations Director in Hertfordshire County Council’s Adult Social Care team and will be leaving us later in June to take up her new role.

Peterborough:

Adults Services:

In Adults Services:

• Stephen Taylor has joined as our new permanent Executive Director: Adult Services in Peterborough.
• Debbie McQuade will start to transition back into Peterborough as the Service Director: Adults Services over the next week.
• Oliver Hayward will begin to transition over the next few weeks to be Peterborough focused as the Service Director for Commissioning.

Children & Young People Services:

In Children and Young People Services:

• John Gregg is the new permanent Executive Director: Children & Young People Services. John joins officially at the beginning of July. In the interim period Alison Bennett, who is the Service Director: Quality Assurance & Practice Improvement will cover the role of the Executive Director of Children & Young People Services.
• Gary Jones has joined temporarily as Service Director: Targeted Support & Children’s Social Care while this role is being recruited too.
• Chris Baird has joined as the interim Director of Education here in Peterborough and will be doing a safe handover from Jonathan Lewis over the next few weeks.