The Appointments Committee of Gloucestershire Council met on Thursday 2 July 2026. The meeting was scheduled to discuss the recruitment process for a new Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety, and the withdrawal of the Coroners' Society of England and Wales from a joint negotiating committee.

Recruitment of the Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety

The committee was scheduled to consider a report regarding the recruitment process for a new Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety, following the current postholder's retirement. The report noted that the current Chief Fire Officer had formally confirmed his intention to retire from 1 October 2026.

The report highlighted the potential impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) decisions on the role, suggesting that different skills and experience might be required. It also mentioned that the outcome of an upcoming HMI inspection of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) was expected in autumn 2026, which would further clarify the requirements of the role.

Three options for the recruitment process were presented:

• Option 1: Recruit immediately. This would involve launching the campaign in July, with a potential appointment decision by mid-October and a start date in early 2027. The report noted that this approach would provide certainty but could deter strong candidates due to ongoing uncertainty regarding LGR and inspection outcomes.
• Option 2: Autumn launch of recruitment. This would involve launching the campaign in October, allowing for greater clarity on LGR and inspection activity. An appointment decision could be made by the end of December, with a likely start date in April 2027. A disadvantage was that this option might not provide sufficient time for internal development.
• Option 3: New year launch of the recruitment campaign. This was the recommended option. It would involve launching the campaign in 2027, allowing for maximum clarity on LGR and inspection outcomes, and providing more time for role design and potential redesign. This option also offered the strongest opportunity for internal leadership development. The report stated that the final timetable would be agreed in consultation with committee members once the LGR decision was known.

The report indicated that the Chief Executive already had delegated authority to make temporary or interim arrangements for up to 12 months, and the committee was asked to agree to delegate authority to extend any external interim arrangement for the CFO and Executive Director of Community Safety role for up to 12 months in total.

The financial implications noted that the role was paid at reward band 8, aligning with current GFRS budgets, but this might need review if the role changed due to the unitary model decision. Legal implications confirmed the role was subject to 'Gold book' terms and conditions. Staff implications stated that proposals aligned with GCC workforce policies, and there were no identified equality, inclusion, or sustainability implications. The key risks identified were the availability of suitable candidates and uncertainty surrounding LGR and inspection outcomes.

Withdrawal of the Coroners' Society of England and Wales (CSEW) from the Joint Negotiating Committee

The agenda indicated that the committee was scheduled to discuss the withdrawal of the Coroners' Society of England and Wales from the Joint Negotiating Committee. No further details were provided in the publicly available documents regarding what was scheduled to be discussed on this item.