The Employment Committee of Hertfordshire Council met on Wednesday 01 July 2026 to discuss the appointment of an interim Section 151 Officer. The committee considered delegating authority for the recruitment process to the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources, with the final appointment subject to full council approval.

Appointment of Interim Section 151 Officer

The committee discussed the need to appoint an interim Section 151 Officer to cover a period of extended leave for the current officer, Stephen Pillsworth, who is taking a career break between August 2026 and March 2027. The Section 151 Officer role is a statutory position, legally required to ensure the proper financial administration of the council, safeguard its financial position, and advise council members on financial matters.

Scott Crudgington, Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources, introduced the report, explaining that discussions had taken place with agencies, and the services of Penna, an organisation associated with SIPFA (The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy), had been retained to assist with the recruitment. Mr. Crudgington also noted that discussions had been held with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, Scott Crudgington himself, regarding his potential involvement in covering elements of the role, viewing it as a development opportunity.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Ian Albert, Chair of the Pensions Committee, regarding the tight timeframe for recruitment and the potential difficulty in finding a candidate with the necessary expertise, particularly in areas such as pensions governance. He noted that the market for such professionals was currently very tight. Mr. Crudgington acknowledged these concerns, stating that they were confident in finding suitable candidates based on initial feedback and that the recruitment process would be completed in early July, ahead of the full council meeting on 21 July 2026.

A contingency plan was discussed should a suitable candidate not be found. In such a scenario, Mr. Crudgington, as a qualified accountant himself, would be able to take on the Section 151 Officer responsibilities. Councillor Fiona Thomson, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, highlighted the potential risk to the organisation given the current market conditions. The Chief Executive, Angie, clarified that if Mr. Crudgington were to step into the role, responsibilities would be rebalanced across the executive team, and additional support would be brought in to bolster the finance team.

The committee was asked to consider and approve the delegation of authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Resources to take all steps necessary in relation to the process to recruit the temporary interim Section 151 Officer. It was noted that the final interview process would include elected members, as agreed by the Employment Committee, and that any appointment would be subject to prior consultation with all group leaders. The final offer of appointment would require approval by the full council on 21 July 2026.

The minutes of the previous meeting were deferred to the next ordinary meeting.