Hertfordshire County Council fills two newly created roles for sustainable growth and diversity and inclusion

Hertfordshire County Council has appointed two women in newly created roles - head of diversity and inclusion, and executive director of sustainable growth.

Temi Fawehinmi will be the head of diversity and inclusion and Patsy Dell will be the executive director of sustainable growth.

Temi has been at Thurrock Council for over a decade working as a Contract and Performance Manager, with her most recent focus being on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Transport.

A lawyer by profession, Temi has been chair of two staff diversity and network groups at Thurrock. She is also a School Governor and Trustee of the Thurrock foodbank.

Sally Hopper, director of human resources at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We are delighted that Temi will be our Head of Diversity and Inclusion. Delivering to this agenda, both for colleagues and residents, is among our highest priorities and we’ve made huge strides in this area over the past few years.

“We know that Temi’s previous experience will be key in ensuring that diversity and inclusion runs through all our work and becomes part of our DNA.”

Temi is expected to join Hertfordshire County Council in spring 2022.

Patsy will lead a newly-formed Sustainable Growth directorate which will play a key part in taking forward sustainable growth as one of the council’s strategic priorities.

Working closely with the Hertfordshire Growth Board, the Local Enterprise Partnership and other stakeholders and partners, Patsy and her team will assist with the delivery of the county’s ambitious growth agenda and the response to the climate emergency.

Patsy is currently Director of the Hertfordshire Growth Board, a role she has fulfilled on a secondment basis since April 2020.

Prior to that, Patsy was Assistant Director of Growth and Place at Hertfordshire County Council and, earlier in her career, lead roles in planning and sustainable development at Oxford and Cambridge City Councils.

In her role as Director of the Growth Board, Patsy works with council leaders, the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) chair, all Local Authority Chief Executives and key stakeholders to deliver the county’s Growth Board programmes.

In addition, Patsy has overseen the formation of both the Hertfordshire Growth Board and the Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Development Board. Patsy will commence her role in January 2022.

Richard Roberts, leader of Hertfordshire County Council and chairman of the Hertfordshire Growth Board, said: “We are delighted Patsy will be taking up the newly-created position of Executive Director of Sustainable Growth.

"Delivering responsible and sustainable growth for our county is among our highest priorities and Patsy has been at the heart of this already for some time in her current role with the Hertfordshire Growth Board and, before that, as Assistant Director of Growth and Place for the county council.

“Patsy’s extensive experience of leading place-based approaches to growth and development will continue to be vital in the coming years, as we aim to deliver the growth which will make our county cleaner, greener and healthier, while further strengthening our economy. I’d like to congratulate Patsy and wish her all the very best in her new role.”

Hertfordshire County Council has a number of opportunities, visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/jobs for current vacancies.