Brighton & Hove City Council - Issue - items at meetings

Report of the Acting Chief Executive (to be circulated separately).

(1) That the departure of the Chief Executive and 3 Strategic Directors in the coming weeks and the appointment of Catherine Vaughan as Acting Chief Executive with effect from the 10^th September, 2012 be noted;

(2) That the need to make changes to the officer structure be noted and the general approach set out in the report, which seeks to balance the need for making changes now, with the need not to unduly fetter the discretion of the incoming permanent Chief Executive, be agreed;

(3) That subject to (4) below, the proposed changes set out in Appendix 1 and the changes to the Scheme of Delegations set out in Appendix 2 to the report be agreed;

(4) That the proposed changes set out in Appendices 1 and 2 be agreed in principle, as they relate to the 5 proposed service areas under the Strategic Director; Place, (Housing; Transport; Planning and Public Protection; City Clean and City Parks; Economic Development, Regeneration, Major Projects and Sustainability); and that the Acting Chief Executive be authorised to implement the proposals, subject to any modifications as she considers necessary, following the completion of the consultation process;

(5) That the transitional arrangements regarding financial management, performance monitoring and budgetary process set out in the financial implications paragraph of the report be agreed;

(6) That the Acting Chief Executive be authorised to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the proposals as set out in the report, including the power to make any transitional arrangements she considers necessary;

(7) That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make amendments to the relevant parts of the Constitution to reflect the changes resulting from the foregoing paragraphs and make any necessary consequential amendments;

(8) That it be agreed that the changes come into force on the 10^th September, 2012, subject to any transitional arrangements and modifications referred to in paragraphs (5) and (6) above and subject to paragraph (9) below; and

(9) That to the extent that any proposals involve changes to functions currently carried out by the Strategic Director; People, they shall not come into effect until the new Interim Director of Children’s Services takes office and any changes relating to the proposed Place functions shall come into force on the 1^st October, 2012 or after completion of the consultation process, whichever is later.

4.1 The Acting Chief Executive introduced the report which outlined various changes to the senior officer structure of the council to take account of the fact that a new Chief Executive was being sought and the resignations of three Strategic Directors. She explained that it was necessary to put interim measures in place in order to enable the business of the authority to be managed effectively and allow for the recruitment process to be completed for the new Chief Executive. She also stated that she had been mindful of the budgetary position, the national situation and the need for the new Chief Executive to be able to formulate the operation of the organisation once they were in place. A consultation exercise with staff and the trade unions had been held and a further consultation process was to be undertaken in relation to the proposals affecting the service provision for Place.

4.2 The Chair welcomed the report and thanked the Acting Chief Executive for her work and also thanked those officers who were leaving for their services during their time with the Authority.

4.3 Councillor G. Theobald stated that the Conservative Group fully supported the proposals contained within the report and thanked the Acting Chief Executive for her work in this regard. He was also aware of the changes proposed in relation to Place and wished to thank the Strategic Director for his support, although he did have some concern in regard to the extensive remit that now came under the Strategic Director’s responsibilities. He also suggested that for any future re-organisation it would be worthwhile having consideration for the appointment of a Director of Property or their equivalent as this was an important remit for the organisation.

4.4 Councillor Mitchell thanked the Acting chief Executive for her report which was supported by the Labour & Co-operative Group, and also wished to thank the officers who were leaving for their support and work during their time with the council. She also felt that the proposals struck a good balance in terms of service provision and areas of responsibility and stated that she would be looking carefully at the future recruitment process in relation to the budgetary position that had been agreed. She also asked that further information on the recruitment process be provided to either the Audit & Standards Committee or this committee in due course.

4.5 Councillor Peltzer Dunn welcomed the report and stated that he hoped it would be used a model for all future reports.

4.6 Councillor A. Norman welcomed the report and stated that her only concern was the need to ensure that necessary support arrangements were available to those senior officers who would be taking on a wider level of responsibility in the interim period.

4.7 The Chair welcomed the comments and stated that he believed appropriate arrangements would be in place to support staff and ensure that service provision was maintained. He then moved that the recommendations be agreed.

4.1 RESOLVED: