Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, please see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

Members are reminded to declare the nature of the interest and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it’s the Members’ responsibility to declare any interests and to update their register of interest form as required by the Code.

If in doubt as to the nature of your interest, you are advised to seek advice prior to the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services

None were declared.

Pat Chen, Head of HR, introduced the report that updated Members on recruitment to senior posts and sought agreements to formally launch the process for recruiting a new permanent Chief Executive, Corporate Director, Resources (S151 Officer) and Director of Finance (Deputy S151 Officer).

Further to questions from Members, Pat explained

·         The outline timeline for the Chief Executive recruitment. It was hoped to fill the post by Summer 2023. It was important that Members involved in the selection process align their diaries to mitigate risk of this timeline slipping.

·         A recruitment agency had yet to be selected.

·         It was planned to include all roles referred to in the report in a combined advert.

·         How other stakeholders would be engaged in the selection process for the new Chief Executive.

·         That the selection would be undertaken according the Council’s existing procedures for senior officer recruitment, including a politically balanced appointment panel which would agree its preferred candidate to be referred to full Council for final approval.

·         Recommendation 2 should also include reference to Corporate Director, Resources (S151 Officer) and Director of Finance (Deputy S151 Officer).

Further to questions, Members asked officers to find out and report if the Committee would have a role to consider or approve the preferred candidate once selected by the appointment panel.

RESOLVED that the Committee:

1.    Notes the current position on the recruitment to senior management vacancies in the Council structure and any interim arrangements in place.

2.    Agrees to formally launch the process for recruiting new permanent Chief Executive, Corporate Director, Resources (S151 Officer) and Director of Finance (Deputy S151 Officer).