Sunderland City Council seeks new children's services director after Jill Colbert's departure
Award-winning council officer Jill Colbert has been credited for transforming children's services in Sunderland - but she's now set to leave
by Chris Binding · ChronicleLiveSunderland City Council is on the hunt for a new head of children’s services following the exit of an award-winning council officer. Jill Colbert took up her role as director of children’s services and chief executive for Together for Children (TfC) in July 2018, during a period when the city council’s children’s services were deemed "inadequate" by Ofsted.
TfC was established in response to a scathing report by inspectors in 2015 that pointed out issues across the board, and a subsequent inspection in 2018 saw no change to the overall inadequate rating. However, Jill Colbert has been praised for spearheading improvements and turning the council department around, with Sunderland’s children’s services leaping from "inadequate" to the highest Ofsted rating, "outstanding", in August 2021.
The next year, the children’s services chief was honoured with an OBE in the Platinum Jubilee Queen’s Birthday Honours List, with council chief executive Patrick Melia acknowledging her "instrumental" role in "transforming children’s services in Sunderland". Recently, several reports confirmed that Jill Colbert has accepted a corporate director for children and education services position at Nottingham City Council, a local authority whose children’s services department was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted in July 2022.
At a recent Human Resources Committee meeting of Sunderland City Council (September 19, 2024), councillors were informed that Jill Colbert had assumed her new role and that efforts were underway to find her replacement.
The search for a "like-for-like replacement" is underway. Council HR chiefs have acknowledged the national and regional "difficulties" in recruiting directors for children’s services, but they've noted interest from across the country for the Sunderland role.
A longlist of candidates will undergo a "technical interview process", leading to a shortlist, with selected candidates invited to an assessment centre. The Human Resources Committee, which includes the council leader among its members, is expected to participate in the recruitment process.
A report to the panel confirmed that the post's grade will remain unchanged and will receive a market supplement in line with other executive director posts on the council, offering a total salary of around £153,055. The Human Resources Committee report further states: "Cabinet members, chief officers and a range of stakeholders will be involved in the final assessment process and will meet all of the shortlisted candidates."
In several council meetings held in September 2024, senior councillors paid tribute to the outgoing council officer Jill Colbert.
Councillor Michael Butler, cabinet member for children’s services, child poverty and skills, praised the council officer’s "tremendous" contribution to the council at a full council meeting on September 18, 2024.
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, also concluded a cabinet meeting the following day (September 19) with a tribute.
"I just want to put on record my thanks and appreciation to Jill for everything that she did in her time here at Sunderland. Jill’s phenomenal leadership was a big reason why we were able to transform our children’s services around in the time that we have".
Since joining Sunderland City Council, Jill Colbert appeared before the local authority’s children, education and skills scrutiny committee several times a year to give updates on actions and improvements to children’s services. At her last scrutiny meeting on September 5, 2024, councillors acknowledged the "challenging" journey to improve the council’s children’s services but thanked the council officer for her focus on improving lives for children and families.
Councillor Linda Williams, chair of the children, education and skills scrutiny committee and a former cabinet member responsible for children’s services, led the tributes. "You have come and had a major impact and it has been challenging, there have been some pretty rough times, but thank you for your focus on kids out there and those families that matter," she said.
"Sometimes our feelings [as councillors] are irrelevant if you like, it’s about getting it right for them and making sure that they can thrive and putting the systems in place which will potentially help whoever comes into post. The service is much more focused now compared to when you came in and the senior team underneath really have pulled together and have been really effective".
Jill Colbert assured the scrutiny meeting that both the council and TfC would "maintain stability and consistency" throughout the recruitment process, with an "interim arrangement" set to be implemented. The council officer also hinted at a possible return to the North East in the future, stating that "Sunderland will always have a very special place in my heart".
She recalled her first children’s scrutiny committee meeting, which took place just days after the publication of a second inadequate Ofsted judgement, saying: "Elected members were rightly very upset and disappointed. "
She acknowledged the challenges faced, stating: "I think through the lens of scrutiny we have done some great work together and we haven’t always had easy conversations and it hasn’t always been plain sailing to be fair.
"But I think we have done some great work and the service values the support, encouragement and constructive feedback from the children’s scrutiny committee and I hope you continue to be able to do some really good work together."
The search for Jill Colbert’s replacement is currently underway, with interim leadership arrangements already established at the city council and Together for Children.
Cllr Michael Butler, council cabinet member for children’s services, child poverty and skills, confirmed: "The city council is in the process of recruiting a new director of children’s services and chief executive of TfC following the departure of Jill Colbert OBE to take up a new role in Nottingham.
"The city council and Together for Children remain firmly committed to maintaining the great outcomes that we deliver for families every day. Simon Marshall, Together for Children’s director of education has been appointed interim TfC chief executive and director of children’s services while the recruitment process is under way.
"Simon has been in his current role for over seven years and has been a key member of Together for Children’s senior leadership team in TfC throughout that time".
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