The Council of Camden was scheduled to meet to approve the appointment of a new Chief Executive, who also serves as the Head of Paid Service, Returning Officer, and Electoral Registration Officer. The report pack includes a report from the outgoing Chief Executive, Jenny Rowlands, detailing the recruitment process and recommending the appointment of Jon Rowney. The report also asks the council to approve the starting salary for the role.

Appointment of New Chief Executive

The main item for discussion was the appointment of Jon Rowney as the new Chief Executive of Camden Council, replacing Jenny Rowlands, who is due to leave at the end of the summer.

The report outlines the recruitment process, which included external advertising and a series of interviews and assessments. According to the report, 44 applications were received, from which six candidates were longlisted and invited to a technical assessment interview. Following this, four candidates were shortlisted to attend an assessment centre.

The Audit and Corporate Governance (Appointment Panel) Sub-Committee, comprised of a cross-party panel of councillors, considered evidence from the selection process and identified Jon Rowney as their preferred candidate. The report notes that cabinet members not involved in the selection process raised no objections to the proposed appointment.

The report also clarifies that the new Chief Executive will continue to fulfil the role of Clerk to the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), as the council provides assistance to the NLWA under contract.

The council was asked to approve both the appointment of Jon Rowney and his starting salary of £230,000 per annum.

Other Business

The agenda for the meeting included standard items such as:

• Declarations of interest from councillors
• Special announcements from Councillor Eddie Hanson, Mayor of Camden, the Chief Executive, or other officers
• Communications, including apologies for absence
• Deputations and petitions related to the matter for which the meeting has been called.

The next scheduled council meeting was confirmed to be on 21 July 2025.