Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.

Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ian Albert and Daniel Allen.

Having given due notice, Councillor Val Bryant substituted for Councillor Allen and Councillor Nigel Mason substituted for Councillor Albert.

Audio recording – 1 minute 2 seconds

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ian Albert and Daniel Allen.

Having given due notice, Councillor Val Bryant substituted for Councillor Allen and Councillor Nigel Mason substituted for Councillor Albert.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording – 1 minute 18 seconds

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded.

(2)       The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(3)       The Chair advised that much of the discussion at this meeting would be in private session and that the live stream would be turned off after the meeting had moved into Part 2 discussions.

(4)       The Chair advised that Section 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution applied to the meeting.

Audio recording – 1 minute 20 seconds

(1)         The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded;

(2)         The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(3)         The Chair advised that much of the discussion at this meeting would be in private session and that the live stream would be turned off after the meeting had moved into Part 2 discussions.

(4)         The Chair advised that Section 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution applied to this meeting.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

This report sets out the background to the process for recruitment to the Director Place and Director Governance (& Monitoring Officer) posts.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Employment Committee interviewed the candidates for the roles.

(2)       That the Employment Committee noted the content of the report.

REASON FOR DECISION: The details of the candidates and their performance throughout the recruitment process are contained in the Part 2 report. The report sets out the background.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 18 seconds

The Chief Executive presented the report entitled ‘Director Recruitment’ and advised that:

·                The recruitment process that was followed was very similar to the processes that were used to recruit previous directors.

·                It was recognised that future local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire might deter prospective applicants from applying for the positions, therefore a greater amount of money was spent to ensure that the roles were more widely advertised than previous director vacancies.

·                They had received a good response rate to the advertised positions.

Councillor Keith Hoskins, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Nigel Mason seconded, and following a vote it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Employment Committee interviewed the candidates for the roles.

(2)       That the Employment Committee noted the content of the report.

REASON FOR DECISION: The details of the candidates and their performance throughout the recruitment process are contained in the Part 2 report. The report sets out the background.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

Audio recording – 4 minutes 5 seconds

Councillor Keith Hoskins, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Ralph Muncer seconded and, following a vote it was:

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press 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 of the said Act (as amended).

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

This report sets out further information on the recruitment to the Director Place and Director Governance posts and the recommendations of the Head of Paid Service on the appointments to the roles.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: That following interview of the candidate to the role of Director Governance, the Employment Committee recommend to Full Council the appointment to the role of Monitoring Officer.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: The appointment of the Monitoring Officer is a function of Full Council under 4.4.1(i) of the Council’s Constitution.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the recommendations from the Head of Paid Service set out in the report be noted.

(2)       That following interview of the candidate, the Employment Committee agreed to appoint to the role of Director Governance and delegate to the Head of Paid Service to confirm to the successful candidate that this will proceed to the next stage and be subject to Full Council approval of the Monitoring Officer role and satisfactory completion of the notification requirements under the Council Constitution.

(3)       That following interview of the candidate, the Employment Committee agreed to appoint to the role of Director Place and delegate to the Head of Paid Service to offer the role of Director Place to the successful candidate subject to the satisfactory completion of the notification requirements under the Council Constitution.

REASON FOR DECISION: As detailed in section 8 of the Part 2 report.

N.B. This item was considered in restricted session and therefore no recording is available.

The Chief Executive presented the report entitled ‘Director Recruitment’ setting out the process for recruitment to the posts of Director Place and Director Governance (including the Monitoring Officer).

The first candidate to be interviewed by the Employment Committee was for the Director Place role.

The Candidate provided the Committee with a presentation, supported by visual slides, on the topic ‘Local Government Reorganisation and the impact it will have on strategic planning for North Hertfordshire’.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Val Bryant

·             Councillor Ralph Muncer

·             Councillor Nigel Mason

The Employment Committee then asked the Candidate formal interview questions as part of the interview process.

The Chair thanked the Candidate for their presentation, following which, the Candidate left the Council Chamber.

The second Candidate to be interview by the Employment Committee was for the Director Governance role (including the Monitoring Officer function).

The Candidate provided the Committee with a presentation, supported by visual slides, on the topic ‘Local government reorganisation – Impact on Governance Directorate’.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Val Bryant

·             Councillor Nigel Mason

·             Councillor Ralph Muncer

·             Councillor Bryony May

The Employment Committee then asked the Candidate formal interview questions as part of the interview process.

The Chair thanked the Candidate for their presentation, following which, the Candidate left the Council Chamber.

Councillor Keith Hoskins, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Ralph Muncer seconded and, following a vote it was:

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: That following interview of the candidate to the role of Director Governance, the Employment Committee recommend to Full Council the appointment to the role of Monitoring Officer.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: The appointment of the Monitoring Officer is a function of Full Council under 4.4.1(i) of the Council’s Constitution.

RESOLVED:

(1)         That the recommendations from the Head of Paid Service set out in the report be noted.

(2)         That following interview of the candidate, the Employment Committee agreed to appoint to the role of Director Governance and delegate to the Head of Paid Service to confirm to the successful candidate that this will proceed to the next stage and be subject to Full Council approval of the Monitoring Officer role and satisfactory completion of the notification requirements under the Council Constitution.

(3)         That following interview of the candidate, the Employment Committee agreed to appoint to the role of Director Place and delegate to the Head of Paid Service to offer the role of Director Place to the successful candidate subject to the satisfactory completion of the notification requirements under the Council Constitution.

REASON FOR DECISION: As detailed in section 8 of the Part 2 report.