Agenda

Staff and Appointments Committee - Wednesday, 27th July, 2022 11.00 am

Venue: Conference Room 1 - County Hall. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.

DISCLOSURES OF MEMBERS INTERESTS

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.

3.

INTERIM ARRANGEMENTS FOR APPOINTMENT OF HEAD OF PAID SERVICE

To receive a report to consider the interim arrangements for the role of the Head of Paid Service. Report to follow.

4.

URGENT BUSINESS (IF ANY)

5.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

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

Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

 

6

1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Information relating to any individual, Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual, information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

 

AND

The statutory report contained information relating to the allowance paid to the Chief Executive and the Council took the view that the public interest in disclosure outweighed the private interests of the individual, at this stage it is necessary for the Committee to consider a number of options and factual issues relating to that allowance and the pension scheme which should for the reasons given above remain confidential and to maintain professional legal privilege and litigation privilege in the advice and options considered.

 

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

 

 

6.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS RELATING TO CHIEF OFFICERS

To receive an update report from the statutory officers concerning ongoing litigation including options for mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Report to follow.