Camden director’s commission role

Following the shock departure of its social services director Jane
Held, Camden Council has revealed that Held has been seconded to
the Commission for Social Care Inspections until her employment
with Camden officially ends in April.

Held left her post just days before Christmas (news, page 6, 8
January), although the north London council will not say whether
the secondment to the new social care watchdog was organised before
she resigned or not.

Despite Camden’s refusal to comment, speculation continues to mount
that Held’s resignation was linked to a personality clash with
Camden’s new chief executive and former social services director at
Kensington and Chelsea Council, Moira Gibb.

A meeting has been set for late January between Gibb and social
services staff to discuss the issue.

Heather Schroeder, area director with responsibility for social
inclusion and housing for north Surrey at Surrey Council, is to be
seconded to run Camden Council’s social services department for
three months while it recruits a permanent replacement.