Agenda and minutes

To note under the provisions of the formula membership the attendance of any nominees.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no nominee Members in attendance.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Panel;

(b)               all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 5 – Appointment of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service)

Councillor Susan Hall declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she had voted to delete the post of Chief Executive when it had been considered by Cabinet.  She would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he had voted to delete the post of Chief Executive when it had been considered by Cabinet.  He would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

That the minutes of the meeting of the Chief Officers’ Employment Panel held on 28 October 2014 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That, subject to the following amendments, the minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2014 be taken as read and signed as a correct record:

(i)                 Minute 12 (i) – Minutes of 25 September 2014 – the apologies of both Councillor Susan Hall and Councillor David Perry be recorded;

(ii)               Minute 12 (ii) – ‘Chairman for the Meeting’ held on 25 September 2014 – Nominations for Chairman were received for Councillor Keith Ferry and Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane;

(iii)             Minute 15 – Flexible Retirement – A Member stated that the minute should reflect the concerns that were expressed in terms of the time being taken in relation to the contract change, the increased workload, risk to business continuity, the need for Capita to perform and that ‘making do’ was not sufficient.  In response, the Chair stated that the minutes should also reflect that he had provided the Panel with a response in relation to business continuity;

(iv)              Minute 16 – Appointment of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) – A Member stated that the minute should reflect the concerns that were expressed in relation to the way the meeting had been conducted and the fact that no representative from Human Resources had been present.  She had also stated her dissatisfaction at the meeting about the consistency in relation to scoring the candidates’ applications and the lack of discussion.  The Chair indicated that he had responded robustly to these comments at the meeting stating that many hours had been spent reviewing the applications received.

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence, or of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

RESOLVED:  That in accordance with Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item for the reasons set out below:

Upon interview of short-listed candidates to consider making a recommendation to Council on appointment to the post of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service).

The Panel, having interviewed four short-listed candidates for the post of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service), had a robust discussion in relation to the recruitment process and the scoring of some candidate answers by Members.

Some Members expressed dissatisfaction with the entire recruitment process for the post of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) and stated that it was flawed.  Other Members robustly stated their concerns about tactical scoring and the impartiality of some of the scores allocated to candidates by certain members of the Panel.

The Panel

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That Mr Michael Lockwood, Director of Policy and Finance, Local Government Association, be appointed to the post of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) of the London Borough of Harrow, with effect from a date to be determined and in accordance with the terms and conditions governing Chief Officer posts.