Agenda item

A nomination was received for Councillor J. Baker to be appointed as the Chair for the meeting.

The nomination was proposed by Councillor K. May and seconded by Councillor B. Hartnett.

Members were advised that an apology for absence had been received from Councillor S. Harvey.

RESOLVED that

Councillor J. Baker be appointed to Chair the meeting of the Joint Appointments Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager presented a report detailing proposed arrangements for the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee.

Members were advised that the report invited Members to identify Councillors from both authorities who should be appointed to the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee.  A total of three nominations from each Council were required to serve on the Sub-Committee, which had to include the Leaders of both Councils.

In considering the appointments, Members were asked to note that there would be a requirement for the Members of the Sub-Committee to be available to attend interviews during the day.  Case law had been identified which indicated that Members of the Sub-Committee needed to be present at all of the Sub-Committee meetings in order to take part in making decisions at those meetings.  Substitutes would not be permitted for meetings of the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee and Members of the Sub-Committee would need to participate in appropriate training, due to take place on 19^th November 2024.

Following the presentation of the report, Members made reference to the training that was due to be delivered and questioned the length of this session.  Officers clarified that it was likely that this training would take one hour to deliver, subject to the number of queries that were raised during the session.

Members subsequently considered the key dates for the recruitment of the Councils’ Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service and the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer respectively.  Questions were raised about the one-to-one chats that would take place on 9^th December 2024 with candidates for both positions and which Councillors should attend these meetings.  It was noted that the suggestion had been made that both the Leaders of the Councils and the relevant lead Portfolio Holders for Finance should attend these meetings with the candidates, although the Portfolio Holder for Finance from Bromsgrove District Council was unavailable on the proposed date so it had been suggested that a substitute should attend in his absence.  Concerns were raised about the extent to which it was appropriate for a Portfolio Holder to nominate a substitute to attend this meeting on their behalf.  On the one hand, it was suggested that the previous Bromsgrove Portfolio Holder for Finance could attend in his absence, on the basis that he had a lot of knowledge about the finance portfolio.  On the other hand, the suggestion was made that it might be more appropriate for political group leaders to attend these sessions instead.

After a brief five-minute adjournment, the Committee was advised that the recruitment key dates list, at Appendix 1 to the report, was being presented for Members to note at this stage.  Officers undertook to explore the comments that had been raised in respect of the one-to-one meetings and to report back to members of the Committee after the meeting.

The Committee also then discussed reference to “PHs” in the recruitment key dates and questioned what this acronym related to, as it was noted that this could refer to specific or all Portfolio Holders at both Councils.  Officers clarified that “PHs” was referring to the two Councils’ respective Portfolio Holders for Finance.

Questions were raised as to whether references to “Leaders” in the Recruitment Key Dates were to the Leaders of the Councils only or to all group leaders.  Officers clarified that this referred to the Leaders of the Councils only.

Consideration was given to the reference in the Recruitment Key Dates to “WCC” for the Chief Executive’s interviews on 16^th December 2024 and questions were raised as to whether representatives of the County Council would be involved in the recruitment process.  Officers explained that the Parkside building was used by both Bromsgrove District Council and Worcestershire County Council and both Councils had rooms in the building that were used for meetings.  The reference to “WCC – Parkside” related to use of one of the County Council’s rooms in the building for the recruitment process.

Members gave specific consideration to the arrangements in place whereby the Section 151 Officer had also become the Councils’ Deputy Chief Executive.  Members commented that this had been agreed at meetings of the respective Councils in 2023.  The Committee further noted that the current Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer was due to remain in post until a new permanent Section 151 Officer commenced employment with the Councils.

During consideration of this matter, the following Councillors from Redditch Borough Council were nominated to sit on the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee: Councillors J. Baker, M. Dormer and W. Hartnett.  These nominations were proposed by Councillor J. Baker and seconded by Councillor W. Hartnett.

The vote in respect of these nominations was carried.

Nominations from Bromsgrove District Council to the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee were subsequently considered.  The following Members were nominated to sit on the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee: Councillors K. May, R. Hunter and P. McDonald.  These nominations were proposed by Councillor K. May and seconded by Councillor C. Hotham.

The vote in respect of these nominations was carried.

The recommendations in the report were proposed by Councillor M. Dormer and seconded by Councillor K. May.

RESOLVED

1)          to agree the following nominations to the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee for the appointments of the Head of Paid Service and Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer respectively:

Bromsgrove District Council: Councillors K. May (Leader), R. Hunter and P. McDonald. (3)

Redditch Borough Council: Councillors J. Baker (Leader), M. Dormer and W. Hartnett; (3)

2)          that the quorum for meetings of the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee for the recruitment of the Head of Paid Service and Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer should be three Members, which must include at least one Councillor from each authority and at least one Leader; and

3)          to note the timetable for the recruitment of the Head of Paid Service and Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer.

There was no urgent business for consideration on this occasion.

The meeting closed at 5.31 p.m.

Chairman