The main item on the agenda for the meeting was the proposed appointment of a new Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service), following the current Chief Executive’s notification that they plan to retire.

Appointment of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service)

The meeting report pack contains a report on the recruitment process that has been followed for the appointment of the next Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) of Darlington Council. The report explains that:

Following the announcement that the current Chief Executive will retire in March 2025 and the approval of the Senior Management Restructure by Council in September 2024, a recruitment and selection process has been undertaken in accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules for the Appointment of the Head of Paid Service (Chief Executive), as detailed in the Council’s Constitution. Council report - Appt of Chief Executive 2024

The report confirms that the Human Resources Committee interviewed three candidates for the role on 13 December 2024 and it recommends that the Council note the recruitment process that was followed, and then approve the candidate recommended by the Human Resources Committee as the Council’s new Head of Paid Service (Chief Executive).