Agenda item

Mrs S Hanley, Interim Head of Paid Service and Mr P Carpenter, Interim S151 Officer, left the room prior to consideration of this item.  Mrs C Felton, Monitoring Officer, remained to support the Council so that one Statutory officer was present.

The Council considered a report setting out proposals in respect of the fixed term appointment of Mrs Susan Hanley so that she could continue in post as the Council’s Interim Head of Paid Service. It also proposed the fixed term appointment of Mr Peter Carpenter to the post of Interim Section 151 Officer and Deputy Chief Executive. Members also considered a proposal to appoint Mrs Claire Felton as the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer for Bromsgrove District Council.

In July 2023, in preparation for the retirement of the former Joint Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service in September, the Council had appointed Mrs Hanley as Acting Joint Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service.  An urgent decision on this subject was subsequently taken by Redditch Borough Council in August.

Whilst a recruitment exercise had been undertaken for both the posts of Chief Executive and Section 151 officer, the Council was unable to recruit on this occasion.

The Council therefore needed to

• Arrange for a further recruitment process for the two senior officer posts to take place, which would take time to set up and implement.
• Take steps to ensure the stability and continuity of the existing senior management team until such time as permanent recruitment could be implemented, and
• Ensure that the Council had a Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer during this period of transition.

The Council was required by law to appoint an officer as the Council’s Head of Paid Service.  Mrs Hanley had expressed a wish to retire on the appointment of the permanent Chief Executive, and therefore not to return to her substantive role as Deputy Chief Executive. As such, she had expressed her intention to resign from her substantive post as Deputy Chief Executive. This enabled both Councils to consider options regarding the Senior Management structure including that of the substantive role of Mrs Hanley ahead of her retirement. It was proposed that on receiving Mrs Hanley’s notice, she would be appointed as Interim Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service on a Fixed Term contract until 30th November 2024.

In addition, following the resignation of Mr James Howse, Mr Carpenter had been appointed as interim Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer.  In June, Redditch and Bromsgrove Members separately agreed to extend his appointment until 22nd December 2023. The current arrangement was set up as a placement via West Midlands Employers and Mr Carpenter was paid on a daily rate.  The Council remained subject to the legal requirement to have a Section 151 officer in place and Mr Carpenter was currently working on critical projects on behalf of the Council.

To ensure a period of stability at the senior level, it was proposed that Mr Carpenter be appointed as Interim Executive Director of Resources.  It was also proposed that he was appointed as Interim Deputy Chief Executive, the post due to be vacated by Mrs Hanley. This role would encompass his current role of Section 151 Officer.

This new expanded role would be secured by way of a direct contract of employment between Mr Carpenter and Bromsgrove District Council, as the employing authority, on a Fixed Term contract until 30th November 2024. Mr Carpenter would be “made available” to Redditch Borough Council under the shared service arrangements and would also continue to act as Section 151 Officer for both Councils.  In view of the resignation of Ms Michelle Howells who currently acted as the Deputy S151 Officer, continuity of tenure at the most senior level was important given current challenges and projects.

In practice, elections had to be covered simultaneously at both Councils, and these duties had always been shared by two officers. It was proposed that Mrs Hanley would continue to cover these roles for Redditch, and that Mrs Claire Felton, Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Services, be appointed as the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer for Bromsgrove.

Councillor K. May proposed, Councillor C. Hotham seconded the recommendations in the report.

Councillors thanked Mrs. Hanley, Mr. Carpenter and Ms. Howells for their work and support to the Council.

RESOLVED that

1)    Mrs Susan Hanley continue to be appointed as the Interim Head of Paid Service for Bromsgrove District Council until 30^th November 2024, or, if the date is later, until such time as a new permanent Head of Paid Service has commenced employment with the Council.

2)    Following Mrs Hanley’s resignation from her substantive position as Deputy Chief Executive, Mr Peter Carpenter be appointed as Interim Deputy Chief Executive and Interim Executive Director of Resources (Section 151 Officer) on a fixed term basis until 30^th November 2024. 

3)    Subject thereto, Mr Peter Carpenter to be made available under the shared services arrangements with Redditch Borough Council to perform such duties as are required in his capacity as Interim Deputy Chief Executive and Interim Executive Director Resources (Section 151 Officer) for Redditch Borough Council.

4)    Mrs Claire Felton, Head of Legal, Democratic and Property Services, to be appointed as the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer for Bromsgrove District Council.