Agenda

Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 2 November 2022, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required where a matter arises at a meeting;

a.         Which directly relates to Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter.

b.         Which directly relates to the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain the room.

c.         Which directly relates to their financial interest or well-being (and is not DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room.

d.         Which affects the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting.

e.         Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it.

NB Any member needing clarification must contact monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Proposed Appointment Process – Executive Directors

This report sets out the proposed appointment process of a team of permanent Executive Directors to replace the interim arrangements currently in place. Approval was given to implement a revised executive structure for the Council at Staff and Appointment Committee held on 20 September 2022 (see background information).

This report aims to set out the structure of the permanent appointment processes and remind the committee of the requirements under the Officer Appointment Procedure Rules in relation to the appointment of all Chief and Deputy Chief Officers (Appendix A) - REPORT TO FOLLOW

Proposed Appointment Process – Interim Management Arrangements and Permanent Recruitment of Director of Workforce and Organisational Development

This report sets out the interim management arrangements that have been put in place following the departure of Leanne Furnell, Interim Service Director for HR/OD, on 31 October 2022 and reminds the Committee of the requirements to follow the Officer Employment Procedure Rules in relation to the appointment (or dismissal) of all Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers. Sarah Farrell has been asked to act up into the role, pending the approval of this Committee. If approved, it is proposed that the interim appointment remains in place until a full-time substantive appointment is made to the post of Director of Workforce and OD.

It is intended that the newly created role of Director of Workforce and OD be created and will replace the role of Service Director for HR/OD. This report seeks approval of the job description for the role of Director of Workforce and OD and remuneration for this role. The report also seeks approval for proposed selection methodology and an associated recruitment timeline (Appendix B)- REPORT TO FOLLOW

Interim Management Arrangements – Service Director – Adults Assessment and Safeguarding

This report sets out the interim management arrangements that have been put in place following a review of the pressure currently on the interim Director of Adult Social Services role having regard to the current structure and incumbents in post. This is in the context of the current restrictions on amending the structure permanently pending the outcome of the PENNA supported review of the top four tiers of management within the Council.

This report also reminds the Committee of the requirements to follow the Officer Employment Procedure Rules in relation to the appointment (or dismissal) of all Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers (Appendix C) – REPORT TO FOLLOW

To consider such other urgent business as, in the opinion of the Chair, should, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Committee is invited to consider passing the following resolution:

(a)      That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the agenda as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act, and

(b)      That the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure for the following reasons-

Agenda Item - 9

Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A – 1 Information relating to any individual.

AND   The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the interest in disclosure because disclosure would adversely affect the Authority’s interests.

Application for Voluntary Redundancy

To consider a report on the above (Appendix D) – REPORT TO FOLLOW.