EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
17 August 2022
Appointment to and remuneration for the post of Chief Executive Officer
The Report of the Chief Officers Appointments and Disciplinary Committee
1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1 This report outlines the Chief Officers Appointment and Disciplinary Committee recommendation to the Extraordinary meeting of the County Council for the appointment to and salary of the post of Chief Executive Officer for North Yorkshire Council.
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2.0 BACKGROUND
2.1 With the formation of the new North Yorkshire Council, as set out in the North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022, the Council needs to appoint a Chief Executive Officer.
2.2 Regulation 4(1) (b) (ii) of the Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Staffing) Regulations 2008 indicates that the County Council (as a preparing council) may appoint a head of paid service prior to vesting date for the new authority. In line with this requirement and as stated in the Explanatory Memorandum to The Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Staffing) Regulations 2008 No. 1419, para 3.5 there is a…. ‘requirement to recruit to the post of head of paid service (chief executive) in the new single tier council, through open competition’.
2.3 Further regulation 4(3) provides that where the County Council has appointed a head of paid service in our circumstances, then the ‘new’ Council does not need to make a further appointment to that post i.e. the Chief Executive for the County continues to be the chief executive for the unitary. Therefore the County Council can appoint to the new role that has been advertised prior to vesting date.
2.4 The Unitary programme envisages that savings will be made through the removal of duplication and efficiencies resulting from economies of scale and new synergies between services, and it is noted that the anticipated savings on Chief Executive salaries across the County will be in excess of £1 million a year (including on costs).
3.0 REMIT OF THE CHIEF OFFICERS APPOINTMENTS AND DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
3.1 The full Committee appoints the Chief Executive Officer, and appoints a Sub-Committee to appointment Chief Officers to the new Council.
3.2 The Council Constitution states that, where a Chief Executive Officer vacancy exists the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee shall:
(a) interview all qualified applicants for the post; or
(b) select a shortlist of such qualified applicants and interview those on the shortlist;
and (in either case)
(c) having carried out such interviews, either appoint one of the candidates to the vacancy, or decide not to appoint any of the candidates, but instead to take such further action in relation to the filling of the post as the committee may determine. Full Council must approve in advance any offer of appointment to Chief Executive Officer.
3.3 The Chief Officers Appointment and Disciplinary Committee is to consider from time to time the terms and conditions of Chief Officers and make necessary changes to them in accordance with paragraph 4 of its terms of reference.
4.0 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER REMUNERATION
4.1 As this is a new position for the new Council, the salary needed to be considered and determined by the Committee and is then recommended to full Council for approval.
4.2 The new Council will have a workforce of over 10,000, a revenue spend of £1.4 billion and an ongoing capital programme of £350 million, and owns wholly or jointly a number of companies all with separate workforce and budget.
4.3 The Committee considered that an appropriate salary was necessary to attract an appropriately qualified and experienced field and to retain a good candidate. The Committee reviewed Chief Executives’ salary data for 22 comparable authorities, and agreed the need for a pay grade which provides for flexibility of starting salary, relative to the experience at appointment, and salary progression based on performance. The proposed salary grade of £180,000 to £197,000, comprising of four incremental progression points, (£180,000 to £185,670 to £191,340 to £197,010) is recommended. In relation to comparator authorities, this places the salary at starting slightly below the medium and average salaries, and ending, at the top of the grade, slightly above the medium. Incremental progression is performance related, and is considered annually by the Leader, after having sought views from others as appropriate.
4.4 All other terms and conditions for the new Chief Executive Officer post are as standard and applied to all Council employees.
4.5 The pay policy will be updated to reflect the agreed Chief Executive Officer salary.
5.0 APPOINTMENT
5.1 The Chief Executive Officer position was widely advertised nationally across a variety of media including MJ, Local Government Jobs, Guardian, Linkedin, Indeed, Council websites, Social Media (Facebook/Twitter) plus targeted executive search reaching 3,572 individuals driving 570 views of the campaign, and 70 suitably experienced candidates were directly contacted.
5.2 On 11 July 2022 the Committee considered the 16 applications received and determined the applicants to be shortlisted and invited to interview.
5.3 On 27 July 2022 the shortlisted candidates progressed through an assessment event which included a one to one with the Leader, and three separate panel interviews with a wider Members panel, a public sector partner panel and a business leader’s partner panel. Feedback from these assessments were provided to the Committee.
5.4 On 28 July 2022 the Committee interviewed the shortlisted candidates for the role.
5.5 Having interviewed shortlisted candidates at its meeting on 28 July 2022, the Committee decided that, subject to the usual pre-employment checks which have now been received, Richard Flinton should be appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer and Head of Paid Service. This is subject to the approval of Full Council.
5.6 It is proposed to appoint to the role of Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 September 2022.
6.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
6.1 The financial implications are set out in the body of this report.
7.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1 The legal implications are set out in the body of this report.
8.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
8.1 There are no significant climate change implications arising from this report.
9.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
9.1 A transparent and open recruitment process has been carried out which complies with the Council’s equality processes.
10.0 RECOMMENDATION
10.1 That the appointment of Richard Flinton as North Yorkshire Council’s Chief Executive Officer and Head of Paid Service be approved, with effect from 1 September 2022.
10.2 That the Chief Executive Officer salary range from £180,000 to £197,000, with 4 incremental progression points, (£180,000 to £185,670 to £191,340 to £197,010) be approved.
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Cllr Carl Les
Leader and Chair Chief Officer Appointment and Disciplinary Committee
North Yorkshire County Council
County Hall
Northallerton
9 August 2022
Background documents: Constitution of North Yorkshire County Council - New Council Constitutions (northyorks.gov.uk)