Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Marson.

The Interim Legal Services Manager outlined the report. He explained that Donna Reed, the current director of shared services was leaving the post at the end of October and following a selection and interview process carried out by the three Council’s chief executive’s Dominic Whelan had been designated as her successor. As Thanet District Council were the host authority for East Kent Services and that TDC were required to appoint chief officers in accordance with its officer employment rules, the matter was being brought to the committee for decision.

Mr Whelan however was only available to start in the new role at the beginning of December and so there would be gap of approximately one month where there would be no officer to discharge the functions delegated to the director of shared services.  Therefore it was proposed that TDC’s interim director of shared services Paul Cook would perform the role on an interim basis until Mr Whelan is in post.

The committee then discussed the report and made a number of points including; that the report was a paper exercise, the committee was not really in a position to say no to the appointment of Mr Whelan, would Mr Cook not be overloaded doing his current job and this new role and would Mr Cook be remunerated for taking on this extra responsibility?

The Interim Legal Services Manager and the Head of EK Human Resources confirmed; that the recruitment process had been robust, that the recruitment process for chief officers for East Kent Services would be included in a wider review of the East Kent Joint Arrangements Committee, that Mr Cook would be further delegating responsibilities to existing East Kent Services Officers and so would not be taking on anymore work and so would be receiving no additional remuneration for the role.

It was proposed by Councillor Campbell and seconded by Councillor Bayford and AGREED that:

1)  That as from 1 November 2014 Paul Cook, be appointed interim director of shared services to exercise the functions ascribed to the director until such time as the permanent appointment of Dominic Whelan takes effect.

2)  That Dominic Whelan, be appointed director of shared services to exercise the functions ascribed to the director.

It was proposed by Councillor Bayford and seconded by councillor Poole and AGREED that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for agenda items 5, 6 and 7 as it contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 3 June 2014, copy attached.

The minutes of the meeting of 3 June 2014 were AGREED and signed as a correct record.

It was also proposed by Councillor Campbell and seconded by Councillor Everitt and AGREED that all previous sets of minutes regarding the complaint are subsequently published.

The Interim Legal Services Manager outlined his report following the investigation of the designated independent person.

Members of the Committee then discussed the report and addressed questions to the Monitoring Officer and Head of EK Human Resources.

It was proposed by Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Bayford and AGREED that:

“Members receive the report of the Designated Independent Person and accept the recommendations contained in the report, particular attention being drawn to paragraphs 157 and 158 of the report and that the report be put in the public domain.”

It was then proposed by Councillor Poole, seconded by Councillor Campbell and AGREED that “the costs of the investigation be put in the public domain”.

The Interim Legal Services Manager outlined his report on the letter from the Monitoring Officer.

Members of the Committee then discussed the report and addressed questions to the Monitoring Officer.

It was proposed by Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Bayford and AGREED that Members receive and note the report.