To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including Whipping Declarations).

None. 

To receive for approval the minutes dated 18 April 2019.

RESOLVED:            That the minutes of the meeting of the Appointments Committee of 18 April 2019 be approved as a true and accurate record. 

The Chief Executive informed the Committee of the rationale for making an appointment to the role of Corporate Director Communities, in that the authority had been on a significant change journey over the last few years in respect of JNC officers, which had not gone unnoticed by the regulators.  He stated that the authority has the leanest of senior management teams compared to other Welsh local authorities and especially so compared to neighbouring authorities. 

He also informed the Committee that the Communities Directorate is a complex Directorate comprising a diverse area of services and that the challenge for the Director would be one of change management.  He stated that authority could not be any leaner and there was a need to make an appointment to this role, whilst at the same time understanding public perception of recruiting to a senior role.  Many other local authorities in Wales had recently made a number of appointments to senior roles. 

The Committee understood the rationale behind making an appointment and recognised that the Directorate had developed many partnership models and had become a victim of its success.  The Leader informed the Committee that the organisation continues to grow, with the authority now having a Regeneration function, which is part of the Communities Directorate.  A member of the Committee commented that the person appointed would need to work with Town and Community Councils to transform services and grasp change.  A member of the Committee commented on the need for the resilience of the authority to be considered in making an appointment.  The Committee was reassured that other authorities had made an appointment to senior roles.  The Committee also noted there were resilience issues below Director level within the Directorate. 

The Chief Executive reported on the recruitment process for the Corporate Director Communities and on a proposal to engage Solace in Business, who are experienced in recruiting local authority senior management and executive roles to support the Council with the appointment. 

The Group Manager HR & OD reported on the selection process to be followed, in that applications would be sent to Solace in Business who will assess and evaluate candidates against the set competencies and will provide feedback to this Committee throughout the process.  She outlined the timetable for the stages of the selection process, together with the job description and person specification for the role.  Following the closing date, the Appointments Committee would be convened to receive feedback from the recruitment specialist and to agree a long list of candidates to progress to the assessment centre.  She stated that the assessment centre will comprise a range of selection methods and assessors will undertake managerial / technical interviews, psychometric testing and interactive assessments to test key competencies.  The Appointments Committee will receive feedback following the assessment centre and agree a final shortlist of candidates who will be invited to interview by the Committee.  The Committee will make the final decision on the appointment, taking account of the outcome of the assessment centre and final interview.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The following item is not for publication as it contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales)Order 2007. If following the application of the public interest test that the Committee resolves pursuant to the Act to consider this item in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

RESOLVED:            That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it contained exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007.

                                 Following the application of the public interest test, it    was resolved that pursuant to the Act referred to above, to consider the item in private, with the public being excluded from the meeting as it would involve the disclosure of exempt information.

To receive for approval the exempt minutes dated 18 April 2019.

RESOLVED:            That the exempt minutes of the meeting of the Appointments Committee of 18 April 2019 be approved as a true and accurate record.