The Employment Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Tuesday 10 February 2026 to discuss the retention of senior colleagues and the appointment of a Director of Finance and S151 Officer. The committee approved recommendations for retaining senior staff and agreed to recommend Gary Fielding for the Director of Finance and S151 Officer role.

Retention of Senior Colleagues

The committee approved recommendations for a sustainable, market-responsive approach to retaining senior leaders and critical post-holders during Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The report, presented by Jacquie McGeachie, Interim Director People Services, proposed measures to address workforce challenges and opportunities arising from LGR. Following discussions, the committee resolved to approve the proposed extension of the Grade D2 band to provide flexibility and consistency. Additionally, the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service were authorised to implement these changes based on market evidence. This decision aims to ensure strategic workforce planning and mitigate anticipated workforce disruption.

Interviews for the Director of Finance and S151 Officer

The committee conducted interviews for the position of Director of Finance and S151 Officer at Lancashire County Council. Initially, a decision was deferred to allow for an additional candidate to be interviewed. Following this second interview on Monday 16 February 2026, the committee agreed to recommend Gary Fielding for appointment to the role. This recommendation will be put forward to the Full Council. The interviews and subsequent discussions were held in private due to the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to individuals and their financial or business affairs, as defined by Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The meeting also noted the date of the next ordinary meeting of the Employment Committee, scheduled for 3 March 2026. The press and public were excluded from the meeting during the consideration of these items on the grounds of likely disclosure of exempt information.