Purpose

1.1 Following the resignation of the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategic Director Stronger Communities) and the end of the secondment of the Corporate Director Community Safety and Resilience, the Chief Executive needs to urgently make interim appointments to these positions.

1.2 These appointments can currently only be made by Staffing Committee (or a sub-committee of the Staffing Committee). However, to allow the Chief Executive to make the necessary interim appointments to the positions, a decision under the Council’s Urgency Provisions is required.

1.3 This decision is urgent in order to provide the Chief Executive with the flexibility to move quickly to secure the appropriate agency or short to medium fixed term interim in a highly competitive market to cover these vital two posts within the senior management structure. Furthermore, convening a Staffing Committee during the summer recess is unlikely to be completed in time to ensure an appointment can be made before September.

Decision

1. 1 That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, agree that the Chief Executive make the following appointments under the Urgency Procedure Rules:
   2.1.1 Temitope Ademosu be appointed (interim) to the position of Strategic Director Stronger Communities (formerly Deputy Chief Executive), and
   2.1.2 Ian Billham be appointed (interim) to the position of Corporate Director Community Safety and Resilience.
   

Alternative options considered

Option 1 -
4.1.1 The Chief Executive could choose not to take the decision and to convene a sub-committee of the Staffing Committee to make the appointment. This would not fix the contradiction in the Employment Procedure Rules or address the issue of delegation going forward.
4.1.2 Convening a sub-committee during the summer recess is unlikely to be completed in time to ensure an appointment can be made before September.

Option 2 -
4.2.1 The Chief Executive could also choose to make the appointments under the Urgency Procedure Rules by amending the Employment Procedure Rules.
4.2.2 The earliest that the Council could be expected to adopt the amended procedure rules would be October 2024, and it is more open and transparent to take these Constitutional changes through the Council’s Constitution Working Group.