The Staff and Appointments Committee of Northumberland Council met on Tuesday 29 September 2026. The meeting's agenda included discussions on the appointment process for a new Director of Law and Corporate Governance, the annual progression and appraisal of senior managers, and a proposed change to a directorate's name.

Proposed Appointment Process for Director of Law and Corporate Governance (Monitoring Officer)

A significant item on the agenda was the proposed appointment process for a permanent Director of Law and Corporate Governance, who also serves as the council's Monitoring Officer. This role is a statutory requirement under Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The report outlined the structure of the permanent appointment process, noting that Mr Stephen Gerrard has been fulfilling the duties of Monitoring Officer since June 2023. The committee was asked to agree to the proposed job description, conduct a search campaign with external assistance, and approve a timetable and selection methodology. The recommended salary range for this position was £143,779 - £158,197, with salary benchmarking information provided. The report also detailed the implications of this appointment, including legal and financial considerations, and confirmed that no specific equalities issues were identified.

Senior Manager Incremental Progression and Appraisal

The committee was scheduled to receive an annual report on senior manager incremental awards and confirm appraisal rates for the senior management cohort (Bands 14+). This process is linked to the council's Corporate Plan and aims to ensure that the achievement of appraisal objectives contributes to the delivery of corporate priorities and value for money. The report detailed the process for awarding increments, which involves applications from eligible staff who have met their appraisal objectives for two consecutive years. Increments, if awarded, are backdated to April of the application year. The report indicated that appraisal completion rates for senior managers exceeded the target, and a list of senior managers who were awarded an increment for April 2026 was to be presented. The Chief Executive and Executive Directors, who are not paid incrementally, were noted to have up-to-date appraisals with all objectives satisfactorily achieved.

Change of Directorate Name

The committee was to be informed of a proposed change to the name of the Directorate of Public Health, Inequalities and Stronger Communities. The suggested new name is Communities and Public Health. This change aims to better reflect the shared identity and collective work within the directorate, aligning with the council's Corporate Plan which identifies tackling inequalities as a cross-cutting priority. The revised title is intended to more accurately represent the directorate's core functions and reinforce the council's organisation-wide commitment to reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for residents. There were no identified financial, legal, or HR implications beyond the change to the Executive Director's job title.