Agenda item

Membership of Appointments Sub-Committee - Appointment of Chief Executive

Minutes:

The Senior Democratic Services Officer summarised a report that sought approval for a number of proposals about the membership of the Appointments Sub-Committee.

 

A politically proportionate Sub-Committee of five members had been established in August 2017 to undertake the appointment process for a Chief Executive.  The Council had decided in November 2017 not to make an appointment and in December 2017 it had agreed the recruitment process for the vacant post.  This included a recommendation to the Committee to increase the membership of the Appointments Sub-Committee from five to eight members and to waive the requirement for political proportionality to ensure the membership was more fully reflective of the Council as a whole.  The five members of the Sub-Committee appointed on 3rd August 2017 had resigned to enable the new membership to be established.

 

The Council had recommended that the Sub-Committee should comprise the Leaders and Deputy Leaders of the Conservative and Labour Groups (or their nominees), Councillor Coad, the Chair of the Employment & Appeals Committee and two further Labour members.  Nominations for the two Labour members were awaited and, in response to a question, it was confirmed that the two further Labour members should be members of the Employment & Appeals Committee where possible but this was not a requirement.

 

(Councillor Swindlehurst joined the meeting)

 

Members were informed that political proportionality could only be waived if no member voted against the proposal, and the Committee voted unanimously to waive proportionality for the Sub-Committee.  The other recommendations regarding the number of members, composition and terms of reference were approved.

 

Resolved –

 

(a)  That the Appointments Sub-Committee be increased from 5 members to 8 members to undertake the recruitment of the Chief Executive and Head of the Paid Service.

 

(b)  That the terms of reference of the Sub Committee as set out in Paragraph 5.8 of the report be noted.

 

(c)  That the requirement for political proportionality, as set out in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, be waived with regard to the appointment of the Sub Committee and that seats be allocated on the Sub-Committee as set out in paragraph 5.6 of the report.

 

(d)  That Members be appointed to serve on the Sub-Committee in accordance with the wishes expressed by Political Groups in respect of seats allocated to them within the parameters as at paragraph 5.3 of the report and as set out below:

 

  i.  Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group (or their nominees);

  ii.  Leader and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group (or their nominees);

  iii.  Councillor Coad;

  iv.  Chair of the Employment & Appeals Committee; and

  v.  Two further Labour members (where possible, but not as a requirement, drawn from the Employment & Appeals Committee).

Supporting documents: