The Chief Executive Officer noted that the Members of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel held an informal meeting on 22nd July 2021, at which they considered the suitability of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s preferred candidate for the role of Interim Chief Fire Officer (North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service). Following an assessment of the candidate’s professional competence and personal independence and taking into account the supporting information provided by the Commissioner and the candidate, the Panel agreed to recommend that Jonathan Foster be approved as Interim Chief Fire Officer to the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
By whom: Richard Flinton, Chief Executive Officer, under his emergency delegated powers and after consultation with the Members of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel.
Please note that as a non-executive decision by an officer, this decision is not open to call-in.

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.
Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”), which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 that, for the present time, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic circumstances, remote live-broadcast committee meetings should continue, as informal meetings of the committee members, with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with other Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members. This approach will be reviewed by full Council at its July meeting.
The Chief Executive Officer has taken all relevant information into account in exercising his emergency delegated powers in this matter, including considering the views of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel Members.
The reasons for the decision in this matter are as follows:
•The Chief Executive reviewed the supporting information provided within the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s submission, setting out the suitability of Jonathan Foster as his preferred candidate for the role.
•The Chief Executive also noted Mr Foster’s personal statement and the report provided by the independent member to the selection process, which underlined the rigour applied to the recruitment process.
•The Chief Executive noted the comments of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel Members in assessing Mr Foster’s suitability at their informal meeting held on 22nd July 2021, during which time the Panel asked Mr Foster a series of questions aimed at evidencing an assessment against his professional competence to undertake the role and his ability to exercise personal independence of judgment.
•Having taken into account the background material provided and the assessment made by the Panel Members, the Chief Executive agreed the recommendation of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel that Jonathan Foster be appointed as Interim Chief Fire Officer.

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