Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee - Thursday, 2nd February, 2017 5.30 pm - Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Farnborough

Contact: Committee Administrator, Kathy Flatt  Tel. (01252 398829) or email  kathy.flatt@rushmoor.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

31.

Exclusion of the Public

To consider resolving:

 

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

 

Item No. – 2

Schedule 12A Para. No. - 1

Category - Information relating to an individual

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

 

Minute No. – 32

Schedule 12A Para. No. – 1

Category - Information relating to an individual

 

 

THE FOLLOWING ITEM WAS CONSIDERED

IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PUBLIC

 

32.

Appointment of Chief Executive/Head of Paid Service

Following the conclusion of the recruitment and selection process, to consider the recommendation for the position of Chief Executive/Head of Paid Service.  The Chairman to report on the process and the proposed appointment.  A representative of Solace in Business, the company engaged to provide professional assistance in the recruitment process, will also be in attendance at the meeting.

 

The Committee’s recommendation will be submitted to the Council meeting on 23rd February, 2017 for confirmation.

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Chairman’s Exempt Report No. LGP1701, which set out the recommendation of the recruitment panel following the conclusion of the Chief Executive recruitment process, which had been concluded earlier that day.   In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Committee’s recommendation would be considered by the full Council for approval. 

 

The Report advised the Committee that, following the announcement by the Chief Executive that he would be leaving at the end of February, 2017, a recruitment process had been put in place, supported by Solace in Business, which had concluded on 2nd February.   It was noted that the selection process had been agreed by the Cabinet on 15th November, 2016 (Report No. CEX1605), where a recruitment panel of four Members (Leader of the Council, Chairman of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and the Leader of the Labour Group) had been established to manage the process.   A job description and person specification for the role of Chief Executive had been agreed, including the statutory responsibilities of Head of Paid Service, the Borough’s Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer.  The post had been advertised in The Guardian and the Municipal Journal.  It was noted that 32 applications had been received and a long-list of twelve candidates had been selected for a technical interview with a consultant from Solace in Business and a technical assessor who was an ex-local authority Chief Executive. 

 

The Committee was advised that a confidential report had been prepared following the technical interviews, which had been considered and a short-list of five candidates had been invited to an Assessment Centre on 1st February, 2017.  The five candidates had participated in a range of exercises to assess their suitability for the role.  Details were set out in the Exempt Report of the presentations, exercises, discussions and profiling which had been undertaken by the candidates.   Following the conclusion of the Assessment Centre, the recruitment panel met with the team of assessors from Solace and considered feedback about each of the candidates.  After careful consideration, it had been agreed that three candidates would be invited back to attend a final interview on 2nd February.   It was noted that the candidates had been invited individually to give a presentation to an interview panel drawn from the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, plus the recruitment panel, on a topic previously unseen until shortly before the interview, which was then followed by a formal interview. 

 

The Committee was advised that, at the conclusion of the rigorous and detailed selection process, it had been decided to recommend to the Committee that Mr. Paul Shackley, be agreed as Chief Executive-designate.  

 

The Committee considered the financial implications and legal and procedural issues concerning the recommendation.  It was advised that the position of Chief Executive was an established post in the Council’s staffing structure and was funded from within the existing staffing budget.  The appointment was within the Chief Executive grade of the Council’s existing pay structure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.