Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda. 

Cllr Fraser declared a personal, non prejudicial interest in the business generally, as a member of the retired sections of UNISON, UNITE, the TGWU and ACTS.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 18 December 2008.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee meeting held on 18 December 2008 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00 pm on Friday, 29 May 2009.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report seeks formal approval to establish an Appointments Committee for the post of Assistant Director of Commissioning and Partnerships (Housing and Adult Social Services) and to delegate sufficient powers to that committee to enable it to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint a candidate, subject to the requirements of the standing orders on appointment.

Members considered a report which sought formal approval to establish an Appointments Committee for the above post and delegation of sufficient powers to that committee to enable it to conduct the recruitment process and select and appoint a candidate to the post.

It was explained that the previous post-holder had retired in January 2009 and the current post holder had been employed on an interim basis, pending the discussion of arrangements for strategic commissioning with the NHS in North Yorkshire and York.  Agreement had now been reached on a ‘virtual team’ approach which meant there was no need to establish a joint post at Chief Officer level.  It was therefore necessary to make a permanent appointment to the existing post as soon as possible, since the post holder would play a crucial part in shaping future working arrangements.  Approval was sought to establish a politically balanced Appointments Committee, comprising five members, to conduct the recruitment process.

Members queried whether there was a need for them to meet every time an appointment was needed at Director or Assistant Director level.  The Chair agreed to make further enquiries about this.

RESOLVED: (i)         That an Appointments Committee be established, consisting of five Members - two Liberal Democrat, two Labour and one Conservative, as set out below:¹

                        Liberal Democrat      (2)                   Cllr Runciman

Cllr Morley

Labour (2) Cllr Fraser

Cllr Simpson-Laing

Conservative (1) Cllr Wiseman

                        (ii)        That the Appointments Committee be authorised to conduct the final interviews, select a successful candidate and make an offer of employment subject to the necessary employment procedures.

REASON:      To enable an appointment to be made to the post of Assistant Director of Commissioning and Partnerships.