Agenda item

The report was introduced by the Head of Organisation Development and

Human Resources who confirmed that the last day of service for the outgoing

Chief Executive would be January 31 2018.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Adefiranye who received confirmation

an intellectual property clause would be in the new Chief Executive contract.

He also had confirmed to him details of notice periods.

Councillor Bonavia stated he supported a recruitment on a full time basis and

he asked for clarification on remuneration. The Head of Organisation

Development and Human Resources reported that the proposal was for a pro

rata salary that was less than that paid to the current incumbent but pitched at

a high enough level to attract some current Chief Executives and many

outstanding second tier officers. He said the approval of a £10,000

delegation would give him some scope to negotiate at the post job offer stage.

Councillor Coughlin agreed full time working was the preferred option. He said

he understood the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham had not

used an executive search agency and he asked if it was possible that

Lewisham could do the same thus avoiding a consultancy fee. The Head of

Organisation Development and Human Resources advised that the use of an

executive search agency would be money well spent. The Mayor added that it

would be highly unusual not to use such an agency. The Deputy Mayor

observed that an in house recruitment would not be without cost and there

were concerns about a lack of capacity and expertise within the organisation.

Councillor Coughlin said he was not entirely happy with the remuneration

range or the use of recruitment consultants but that he accepted that they

were inevitable. He received confirmation that apart from additional Returning

Officer fees paid at election time there would be no other financial

inducements on offer in addition to salary.

The Head of Organisation Development and Human Resources concluded by

outlining the proposed recruitment timetable culminating in an appointment by

a meeting of the Council at a date to be agreed.

RESOLVED that:

(1) note be taken the Chief Executive had served notice of termination of his

employment with the Council and that his last day of service will be 31

January 2018;

(2) the following terms and conditions to which a new Chief Executive will be

recruited be recommended to Council:-

(a) The Chief Executive post will be appointed to on a full time basis.

(b) The salary range of the Chief Executive post will be £175,000 to £185,000

depending on the experience of the candidate.

(c) authority be delegated to the Head of Organisational Development and

Human Resources, having taken external advice, authority to approve that the 

maximum salary can be increased by up to £10,000 to secure an exceptional

candidate who would otherwise not be appointed.

(d) authority be delegated to the Head of Organisational Development and

Human Resources authority to amend the job description and person

specification on external advice, without changing substantially the nature of

the role, to the extent necessary to reflect current requirements and best

practice.

(e) authority be delegated to the Head of Organisational Development and

Human Resources, on advice from the Head of Law, to finalise the Chief

Executive contract in a way which reflects the existing contractual terms and

conditions and reflects current legislation and circumstances subject to the

changes proposed in 5.1 – 5.22 relating to remuneration, the role being a full

time position and the removal of provisions relating to payment on termination

The meeting closed at 6.09pm