The Chief Officers' Employment Panel of Harrow Council was scheduled to discuss the recruitment process for a new Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) and the remuneration package for an Assistant Director of Regeneration. The meeting also included a discussion on severance packages exceeding £100,000.

Recruitment of the Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer)

The panel was set to consider the recruitment process and proposed remuneration package for the Director of Legal and Governance, who also serves as the Council's Monitoring Officer. This is a key role responsible for the strategic leadership of the Legal & Governance Directorate and the discharge of specific statutory functions. The previous permanent post holder retired in April 2023, with an interim arrangement in place since then. The proposed recruitment process involves advertising the post for three weeks, with shortlisting by a panel including the Managing Director, Alex Dewsnap¹, and an external Technical Specialist. The final interview and appointment decision would be made by the Chief Officers' Employment Panel. The role is graded at D3, with a salary range of £132,168 - £145,575, and the total cost of the post, including on-costs, is budgeted at £198,619. The report highlighted that the full Council would need to designate the successful candidate as Monitoring Officer before the appointment could be confirmed.

Approval of Remuneration Package for the Assistant Director of Regeneration

The panel was also scheduled to review and approve the remuneration package for a new Assistant Director of Regeneration within the Place Directorate. This role is intended to strengthen the Regeneration team, which has been relying on interim contractors. The proposed salary for the Assistant Director of Regeneration is graded at D1, with a range of £94,902 to £111,474. The report indicated that the cost of this post would be met from the £1.25 million revenue budget allocated for Regeneration in the 2023/24 Medium Term Financial Strategy, which is funded under the Capital Receipts Flexibility Scheme. The recruitment process was planned to commence immediately following the approval of the remuneration package, with a target for panel interviews in January 2024.

Severance Package of £100k or Greater

A further item on the agenda was the discussion of severance packages amounting to £100,000 or greater. This item was scheduled to be considered in private, with the press and public excluded. The report indicated that this discussion would involve information relating to individuals and the financial and business affairs of particular persons.