Reduction in exemptions
The total number of exceptions represents a considerable reduction on the number allowed in 2006-07. 2006-07 was an exceptional year with 266 instances of approved exceptions. The average annual figure in recent years has been around 24.
The number of allowed exceptions this year would have been closer to this recent average had it not been for the large number of conversions of secondments to permanent appointments. These all relate to a particular set of circumstances in one department. Secondees had been appointed to undertake some specialised work which was initially expected to be limited in duration but which turned out to be ongoing. The Commissioners agreed to the conversion of these appointments to permanency on the basis of three factors: business need; the fact that most of the secondments had been arranged following wide-spread trawling; and an assessment that nothing would be gained from requiring open competition.