Decision details

The Committee gave consideration to a report that proposed changes to the protocol for appointing Chief Officers.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed –

1.    The following changes to the recruitment procedure for Chief Officers -

a)    Head of Service assessment centres are conducted online rather than onsite.

b)    Panel sizes are amended for Executive Director and Head of Service interviews, membership comprising:

·         Executive Director – 6 Elected Members plus Chief Executive as a voting member (4 from the Administration and 2 from the Opposition)

·         Head of Service – 3 Elected Members (2 from the Administration and 1 from the Opposition) plus Executive Director and Chief Executive as voting members

c)    Recruitment training is introduced to the elected members’ induction programme, which will ensure that there is a cohort of trained members and enable up to 50% of any Appointment Panel’s members to be trained.

d)    The approach taken to the HSCP (Health and Social Care Partnership) Integrated Chief Officer and Head of Service appointments be reviewed and put in place by NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council.

2.    To recommend to the Council that the Council’s Constitution is updated to reflect the agreed changes to the Appointments Panel as outlined. 

(Reference:  Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Customer and Support Services dated 12 February 2020, submitted)