Before her interview director put together work outline

Heather Schroeder

THE senior civil servant appointed as the Town Hall’s new children’s director helped write her own job description before being interviewed.
Open warfare has now broken out between Labour and Liberal Democrat rivals over the appointment of Heather Schroeder to head a new super-department merging education and social services.
Ms Schroeder has been the council’s social services director for the past year and was the only candidate put up for interview with elected councillors on Monday morning.
The job was not advertised nationally, although council chiefs insist they followed accepted long-established Town Hall practice.
A council press official confirmed on Tuesday night that Ms Schroeder had been part of the team that shaped the job description.
He said: “In drawing up the job descriptions for the three new directorate posts, Camden Council quite naturally consulted all the current departmental directors. Their input is vital to ensure that service specific requirements are properly covered.”
But the explanation has only fanned the fire surrounding the massive shake-up of council services, the biggest in the Town Hall’s recent history, which will see five departments funnelled into just three.
Lib Dem councillors Margaret Little and Keith Moffitt stormed out of a pre-interview meeting in protest, refusing to take part in what they say was a one-horse selection process. Critics, including a growing pool of angry school governors, insist the three new super-departments will be too general in function and expertise found in more concentrated divisions will be lost.
The Lib Dems say Camden’s schools should not be run by a civil servant whose main skills are in social services – and instead want a chief with a strong background in education.
Cllr Little said: “The appointment process is deeply flawed as it favours the incumbent, and prevented national advertising of these posts that could have provided a wider field of applicants.”
Ms Schroeder said yesterday (Wednesday): “This is an exciting opportunity for me and Camden. This restructure will ensure that all the services for children work together to help every child get the best start in life. They will support Camden’s top-rate schools and education service, while protecting vulnerable children from harm.”
The Liberal Democrats also played no part in the appointment of Peter Bishop as the council’s new Environment and Culture Director, who will oversee a merged environment and leisure department.
Cllr Moffitt, recently elected as leader of the Lib Dem group at the Town Hall, left the session early in protest – sparking accusations from senior Labour figures that he was guilty of turning council officials into political footballs.