Agenda

Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Monday 20^th February 2023, 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.

PREFERRED CANDIDATE APPOINTMENT - Director of Workforce and Organisational Development 

The purpose of this report is to confirm and set out to the Staff and Appointments Committee the outcome of the selection process for the Director of Workforce and Organisational Development and to seek approval for the appointment of the preferred candidate.  Attached to this report is a confidential (part 2) exempt Appendix 1, setting out the details of the preferred candidate.

The Committee will recall at its meeting on 20 December 2022, that arrangements for the permanent recruitment to this role was agreed. 

This report also reminds the Committee of the requirements under the Officer Employment Procedure Rules in relation to the appointment (or dismissal) of all Chief and Deputy Chief Officers. Accordingly, please note that all the appointments referred to in this report are subject to no substantial and well-founded objections being notified to the Leader of the Council, in accordance with Part 4.3 of the Constitution (Officer Employment Procedure Rules). Appendix 1 to be considered under agenda item 8 in Part 2 of this agenda.  (Appendix A).

PREFERRED CANDIDATE APPOINTMENT - Director of Corporate Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

The purpose of this report is to confirm and set out to the Staff and Appointments Committee (StAC) the outcome of the selection process for the Director of Corporate Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer and to seek approval for the appointment of the preferred candidate.  Attached to this report is a confidential (part 2) exempt Appendix 1, setting out the details of the preferred candidate.

Section 5 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 requires the Council to designate one of its Officers as Monitoring Officer.

The Committee will recall at its meeting on 30th January 2023, a candidate was offered this position following the wider process for the selection and appointment of all Executive Directors and the Director of Law and Governance roles. However, this latter offer was subsequently declined.

This report also reminds the Committee of the requirements under the Officer Employment Procedure Rules in relation to the appointment (or dismissal) of all Chief and Deputy Chief Officers. Accordingly, please note that the appointment referred to in this report will be subject to no substantial and well-founded objections being notified to the Leader of the Council, in accordance with Part 4.3 of the Constitution (Officer Employment Procedure Rules).

Appendix 1 to be considered under agenda item 9 in Part 2 of this agenda.  (Appendix B).

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.

It is expected that matters included in this part of the Agenda will be dealt with in private.  Reports referred to are enclosed for members and officers only, coloured pink and marked "Not for Publication".

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 item on the Agenda as it involves 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 Items          Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

PREFERRED CANDIDATE APPOINTMENT - Director of Workforce and Organisational Development 

To consider the attached Appendix 1 under Agenda item 4 in Part 1 of this agenda.

PREFERRED CANDIDATE APPOINTMENT - Director of Corporate Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

To consider the attached Appendix 1 under Agenda item 5 in Part 1 of this agenda