Agenda and minutes

None were declared.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on March 16 2016 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

It is recommended that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act

1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following

items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of

exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of

the Act, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the

public interest in disclosing the information.

4          Review of the Chief Executive’s Working Arrangements.

The confidential report was introduced by the Interim Head of Human

Resources and People Transformation, who reported an independent review

into the Chief Executive’s working arrangements had been carried out by

Jerry Cope of the t-three Group. Mr Cope was a Consultant with a senior

management background that included executive positions in the Royal Mail.

In summary his conclusion was that the arrangements the Appointments

Committee had first agreed in 2011 continued to work well and that the

Council should only consider any alternative should the Chief Executive

decide to retire.

The Mayor stated that whenever the Chief Executive announced his

retirement the authority should re-evaluate the role in the light of existing

circumstances and decide at that point a way forward. He believed it would be

premature to agree a succession route immediately.

The Chair asked about the implications for the authority of ending the

arrangement without consent and was informed the Council would have to

give 3 months notice and would be obliged to make an additional pension

payment to the Chief Executive as originally agreed in 2011. The Interim

Head of Human Resources and People Transformation said this was a fairly standard arrangement.

The Chair noted the previously agreed review had been carried out as

resolved and that the arrangement continued to operate satisfactorily. He

believed the management capacity of the organisation at various levels,

especially Heads of Service, needed to be carefully monitored.

The Chair accepted the suggestion that there be a full review of the Council’s

arrangements in the eventuality of the Chief Executive deciding to retire or

leave. He believed a full exploration of issues and opportunities for change

could take place at that juncture.

The Committee unanimously accepted the suggestion that there be a further

review in 2018.

RESOLVED that

(1) the review of the Chief Executive’s working arrangements be received;

and

(2) a further review of the Chief Executive’s working arrangements be

conducted in 2018.

The meeting closed at 5.56pm