Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda.  Any councillor with a DPI must notparticipate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must also withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Employment Committee held on 26 February 2020.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 February 2020 were confirmed as a correct record.  The Chairman signed the minutes.

The Committee was informed that the Resources Specialist Services Manager (formerly the Council Solicitor and Monitoring Officer), Robert Parkin, would be leaving the Council on 20 March 2020 to take up an appointment elsewhere. 

Consideration of the recruitment of a new Resources Specialist Services Manager would be given following a review of the structure of the legal team.  In the meantime, it would be necessary to designate an officer as the Council’s Monitoring Officer. In accordance with Officer Employment Procedure Rule 4 (a) and this Committee’s terms of reference, the formal designation of the Monitoring Officer was undertaken by full Council on the recommendation of the Committee.

Having considered a report on the proposed arrangements to be put in place following Mr Parkin’s departure, the Committee

RECOMMEND:

(1)   That Sarah White (Senior Specialist Legal – (Lawyer - Planning, Regeneration & Litigation)) be designated as the Monitoring Officer for the Council with effect from her return to work following maternity leave in May 2020.

(2)   That, in the interim period and for the working days when the Monitoring Officer is not in attendance, the current Deputy Monitoring Officer, Diane Owens (Senior Specialist - Legal (Lawyer - Corporate, Commercial & Property)) be designated as Acting Monitoring Officer.

Reason:

To comply with the requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (as amended).

The Committee is asked to consider passing the following resolution:-

"That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the 1972 Act".

The Committee

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the 1972 Act.

The Committee, having interviewed the candidates that it had shortlisted on 26 February 2020 for appointment as the Council’s new Director of Service Delivery

RESOLVED: That, subject to no well-founded objections being received from the Leader of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 5 of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations 2001, Mr Ian Doyle, currently Director of Environment and Climate Change Action, at Essex County Council be appointed as the Council’s new Director of Service Delivery with effect from a date to be confirmed in June 2020.

Reason:

To appoint the most suitable candidate as the Council’s new Director of Service Delivery.