Agenda item

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer, (copy to follow).

The Council considered the report of the Monitoring Officer presenting for consideration, the recommendations of the Working Group established at the Council meeting on 14 December 2023 regarding restructuring of the Tier 1 Leadership Team.

Members were reminded of the decisions made by the Council at its meeting on 15 February 2024. The report provided an update on the consultation process undertaken and the amendments made to the Pay Policy Statement 2024 / 25 (Appendix 1 to the report) and Political Restrictions Policy and Procedure (Appendix 2) to reflect the new structure. It was anticipated that the new structure would be live from January 2025. The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) would support with the recruitment for a Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) and Appendix 3 to the report contained an indicative timeline. Appendix 4 provided benchmarking data for the Chief Executive role.

The Leader of the Council presented the report to the Council and thanked officers from Essex County Council who were working through the process with the Council.

Councillor S J N Morgan advised that he did not support the proposed Chief Executive model and sought support from other Members in voting against the proposal.

During the debate that ensued the Leader of the Council provided further information regarding the proposed recruitment process and including the training that would be available to the Appointments Board.

The Lead Legal Specialist and Monitoring Officer clarified that for the Head of Paid Service (Chief Executive) post the Appointments Board would make a recommendation to the Council. In addition he provided detail of the two professionals that would support the Appointments Board.

Councillor A S Fluker proposed that the recommendations set out in the report be agreed. This proposal was duly seconded.

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) Councillor S J N Morgan requested a recorded vote. This was duly seconded. The Chairperson clarified that the Council would first vote on recommendation (i) and (vi) and then the remaining recommendations.

The Chairperson then moved recommendations (i) and (vi) and the voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors M G Bassenger, V J Bell, D O Bown, S J Burwood, J Driver, A Fittock, A S Fluker, L J Haywood, J C Hughes, K M H Lagan, A M Lay, W J Laybourn, M G Neall, N G F Shaughnessy, R H Siddall, U G C Siddall-Norman, N D Spenceley, P L Spenceley, W Stamp, E L Stephens and J C Stilts.

Against the recommendation:

Councillors M F L Durham, M R Miller, S J N Morgan and M E Thompson.

Abstention:

Councillor N J Swindle.

The Chairperson declared that recommendations (i) and (vi) were therefore agreed.

An amendment to recommendation (iii) was agreed to add the following to the recommendation “subject to the requirements of the constitution”.

He then moved recommendations (ii), (iii) as amended, (iv), (v) and (vii) and the voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors M G Bassenger, V J Bell, D O Bown, S J Burwood, J Driver, A Fittock, A S Fluker, L J Haywood, J C Hughes, K M H Lagan, A M Lay, W J Laybourn, M G Neall, N G F Shaughnessy, R H Siddall, U G C Siddall-Norman, N D Spenceley, P L Spenceley, W Stamp, E L Stephens, J C Stilts and N J Swindle.

Against the recommendation:

None.

Abstention:

Councillor M F L Durham M R Miller, S J N Morgan, and M E Thompson.

The Chairperson declared that recommendations (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vii) were therefore agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)         That following a formal consultation process with affected employees, the previous ‘in principle’ recommendations of a Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service (HoPS)) post and a post of Deputy Chief Executive in the place of three Directors is confirmed;

(ii)        That the amendments to the Pay Policy 2024 / 25 set out in Appendix 1 to the report are approved;

(iii)       That authorisation is given to engage an external specialist recruitment company to work alongside the Leader of the Council and Monitoring Officer to recruit into the two new vacancies arising from the new structure subject to the requirements of the constitution;

(iv)       That the costs of £26,000 associated with external specialist recruitment company to be funded from Council’s Transformational Fund;

(v)        That the amendments to the Political Restrictions Policy set out in Appendix 2 to the report are approved;

(vi)       That subject to (i) above an increase to Salary Grade P is approved;

(vii)      That all constitutional documents are amended to remove the reference to Directors in place of the Chief Executive (HoPS) and/or Deputy Chief Executive at the point that each is in post is agreed.