The General Purposes Committee convened to address chief officer recruitment and appointments to member-level bodies. The committee approved the salary range for the Head of Legal Services post and agreed to appointments to the Pension Board, the Organisation and Communities Scrutiny Panel, and the Licensing Committee.

Chief Officer Recruitment

The committee agreed to the salary range for the Head of Legal Services post, which is Chief Officer grade D, with a salary range of £93,070 to £103,851, in accordance with the council’s pay policy statement. The post became vacant after the previous postholder was appointed Director of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Head of Legal Services will be responsible for the council's corporate governance, ensuring the lawfulness and fairness of the council's decision-making processes. The role also involves supporting the Director of Legal & Democratic Services in the leadership, management, and development of Legal Services, as well as leading one of the five Legal Services teams.

The Officer Employment Procedures authorise the Chief Executive to establish individual Appointment Panels, in consultation with the Party Group Leaders. The Appointment Panel will undertake all stages in respect of the appointment of Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers in accordance with the Council's Officer Employment Procedures. Consultation with Cabinet will take place before any final offer of appointment is made.

The report noted that failure to agree to the recommendations would:

leave the Council unable to progress permanent recruitment, resulting in this key post being vacant for an unknown period, with a potential need to consider high cost interim cover.

The committee agreed to the salary range for the post.

Appointments to Member-Level Bodies

The committee approved several appointments to member-level bodies. Councillor Leo Fletcher was appointed to the Pension Board, replacing Councillor Nick Williams. Councillor Joshua Ayodele was appointed as Chair of the Organisation and Communities Scrutiny Panel, filling a vacant post. Additionally, Councillor Jit Ranabhat was appointed to chair the Licensing Committee, replacing Councillor Joshua Ayodele, who remains an ordinary member of the committee.

Declarations of Interest

The committee noted the list of councillors' memberships on outside bodies, joint committees, and school governing bodies. Members were requested to declare any personal or financial interests in specific items on the agenda as they related to matters under discussion, in accordance with the council's code of conduct¹.