Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence have been received from Councillors MP Howell and JA Quinlan. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors MP Howell, DL Porter and JA Quinlan. 

Members need only declare an interest in circumstances where there is an item on the agenda that may cause a conflict of interests.

None. 

RESOLVED    that Councillor Dr JA Heap be elected Chairman of the Employment Committee.

On the nomination of Councillor Mrs JM Healey, seconded by Councillor Mrs GJ Smith, it was

RESOLVED    that Councillor Dr JA Heap be elected Chairman of the Employment Committee.

RESOLVED    that Councillor Mrs VM Trueman be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Employment Committee. 

On the nomination of Councillor Mrs GJ Smith, seconded by Councillor RT Summerfield, it was

RESOLVED    that Councillor Mrs VM Trueman be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Employment Committee. 

The Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6th September 2002 as a correct record. 

AGREED        that the panel for the appointment of the new Assistant Director of Finance and Resources (ICT) would be comprised of the Chairman of the Employment Committee, the Resources and Staffing Portfolio Holder and the Information and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, with the Vice-Chairman of the Employment Committee as substitute.  The Finance and Resources Director and the consultant would be non-voting members of the interview panel.

The Finance and Resources Director explained that the immediate challenge was to identify a qualified replacement for the Assistant Director of Finance and Resources (ICT), who was retiring shortly.  A consultancy firm would nominate a shortlist of candidates to be interviewed by the Employment Committee’s appointments panel in March.  The Constitution required the Chairman of the Employment Committee to make appointments to this panel, which must include the Resources and Staffing Portfolio Holder and one other relevant Portfolio Holder, in this instance the Information and Customer Services Portfolio Holder.  The Finance and Resources Director indicated that, in his view, he and the consultant should also be present to assist the panel as non-voting members.  Although the constitutional requirement was for a panel of five Members, the Committee recognised that it would be intimidating for candidates to be faced with a panel of nine, and therefore agreed, in this instance, that the Chairman should appoint three Members.

Members discussed the interview process and made the following points:

·                      Member involvement would be kept to a single day;

·                      The consultants would be asked to prepare a short list of five candidates, with six candidates being the absolute maximum;

·                      Candidates would make a short presentation to the interview panel; and

·                      The Finance and Resources Director would arrange for candidates to meet staff in the ICT section.  This could be on a separate date rather than part of the interviews.

The Chairman of the Employment Committee

AGREED        that the panel for the appointment of the new Assistant Director of Finance and Resources (ICT) would be comprised of the Chairman of the Employment Committee, the Resources and Staffing Portfolio Holder and the Information and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, with the Vice-Chairman of the Employment Committee as substitute.  The Finance and Resources Director and the consultant would be non-voting members of the interview panel.