Peter Hay, Strategic Director for People, to retire
Peter Hay, Strategic Director for People, has today announced that he will be retiring this summer after 14 years with Birmingham City Council.
Peter will take early retirement in July although he will stand down from his role as Strategic Director for People on 31 March. Between April and July he will be seconded to undertake a small number of research and evaluation based projects for the council.
An experienced social worker, Peter came to Birmingham in 2003 and successfully oversaw an improvement in children’s services that saw the service gain a star rating in the 2005 national assessment.
When the children’s and adults’ portfolios separated, Peter took charge of the newly formed adults and communities directorate, raising it to a three-star service and, when they merged again in 2013, he became Strategic Director for People, responsible for all children’s and adults’ services.
Peter has also operated on a national level, as president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care, and leading on engagement for shaping local care services for the Department of Health.
He was awarded a CBE in 2012 for services to social care and health.
Councillor Brigid Jones, cabinet member for children, families and schools, said: “Peter could not have taken on the DCS role here at a harder time. Since then he has overseen significant improvements both in children’s services and in schools, both of which have been recognised by Ofsted.
“We have worked together through many very difficult challenges, driving through changes and improvements to children’s services.
“He has been personally instrumental in securing a stable and motivated workforce and I shall miss his leadership, professionalism and unreserved support. It has been a true pleasure and privilege to work alongside Peter.”
Councillor Paulette Hamilton, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “Peter has made a real contribution to this remarkable city, overseeing improvements – in really challenging times – to health and social care.
“Peter is admired and respected among colleagues and partners, both at director level and those on the frontline. I have really enjoyed working with him and on behalf of my colleagues and the wider city, I want to thank him for his service and wish him well in his retirement.”
The future arrangements for the leadership of the People Directorate will be determined by the outcomes of the recently launched consultation on the shape of the council’s Corporate Leadership Team.
Ends
Peter’s message to staff can be found here.
Notes to editors:
Peter qualified as a social worker in 1985 and held a range of social work posts in Humberside County Council
He first became a director in June 1997 for North East Lincolnshire Council
Peter has had three roles in his career with Birmingham City Council: Strategic Director Social Care and Health (2003-06); Strategic Director for Adults and Communities (2006-13) and Strategic Director for People (2013-17)
He was chosen by his peers to be president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) during 2011/12, fronting the sector’s response to social care reform and the closure of Southern Cross.
Peter holds a number of non-paid roles in national bodies: Trustee of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE); Trustee of Research in Practice for Adults (RiPFA) part of the Dartington social justice family; a member of the Executive of the New NHS Alliance and a Board Member of the charity CiC (Community integrated Care)
Peter has contributed to a number of major national policy developments working with Government accordingly. Peter was asked by the Department of Health to lead engagement on shaping local care services which fed into the 2012 Caring for Our Future White Paper. He was a member of the NHS Future Forum and of the Oldham Commission on Whole Person Care.
