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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED That Councillor Tessa Hodgson be elected as Chair for the Municipal Year.
RESOLVED That the Committee recommends to Council: (a) That Part 2.2.2 of section 14 of the Constitution be amended as set out above to clarify the position in relation to temporary appointments at Head of Service level. (b) That delegated authority be given to the Monitoring Officer to make consequential amendments to the Constitution, including the terms of reference of the Senior Staff Committee and any related policies or documents. (c) That the Senior Staff Committee be notified by the Chief Executive of temporary appointments as soon as reasonably practicable.
RESOLVED (a) That the redesignation and regrading of the Professional Construction Services Manager role to a Corporate Manager post reporting directly to the Director of Place/Assistant Chief Executive, be noted. (b) That the proposed senior management restructuring set out in this report, including the transfer of Economic Development and Regeneration to the Head of Property be approved. (c) That approval of the redesignation of the post to Head of Property, Economic Development and Regeneration, in accordance with the Constitution, be recommended to Full Council.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That Councillor Tessa Hodgson be elected as Chair for the Municipal Year.
Moved by Councillor Jon Harvey; Seconded by Councillor Paul Miller. The vote was taken by way of a show of hands and carried. RESOLVED That Councillor Tessa Hodgson be elected as Chair for the Municipal Year.
Moved by Councillor Jon Harvey; Seconded by Councillor Tessa Hodgson. The vote was taken by way of a show of hands and carried. RESOLVED That Councillor Paul Miller be elected as Vice-Chair for the Municipal Year.
No apologies for absence were received.
The following declaration was made: Item 7 – Redesignation of the Role of the Head of Property Councillor Vanessa Thomas declared a personal interest by virtue of having a close family member employed within the Planning Department.
Moved by Councillor Jon Harvey; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman. The vote was taken by way of a show of hands and carried. RESOLVED That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 March 2026 be approved as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Committee recommends to Council: (a) That Part 2.2.2 of section 14 of the Constitution be amended as set out above to clarify the position in relation to temporary appointments at Head of Service level. (b) That delegated authority be given to the Monitoring Officer to make consequential amendments to the Constitution, including the terms of reference of the Senior Staff Committee and any related policies or documents. (c) That the Senior Staff Committee be notified by the Chief Executive of temporary appointments as soon as reasonably practicable.
The Head of Law and Governance outlined a report on the arrangements for the appointment of senior staff on a temporary basis, which had been requested by the Committee at its previous meeting. The report proposed a minor amendment to the Constitution to clarify that the Chief Executive may appoint to Head of Service posts on a temporary basis for a period of up to 12 months, to enable the Authority to respond promptly to unplanned absences. It was confirmed that this provision would not apply to the roles of Director, Chief Executive or Monitoring Officer, and that, as a constitutional amendment, the matter would require approval by Full Council. Councillor Paul Miller expressed support for the proposal but sought assurance that temporary appointments would not create any expectation or entitlement to permanent appointment, which could fetter the Committee’s ability to appoint in the usual way. The Chief Executive advised that temporary appointments would be made subject to clear terms and conditions, set out in writing, which would confirm the temporary nature of the arrangement. It was explained that the proposed 12?month limit was well within the relevant legislative thresholds and would therefore not give rise to any automatic right to permanency. It was further emphasised that any permanent appointment would continue to be made through the normal recruitment process, with the decision resting with the Committee. The Head of Human Resources confirmed this position, advising that fixed?term contracts would only convert to permanent status after a period of four years. It was noted that, in all cases, the temporary nature of such appointments would be clearly communicated in writing, and that a review would take place at the end of the 12?month period to determine the appropriate next steps. Councillor Paul Miller sought further clarification regarding the potential risk that, where temporary appointments were made, subsequent amendments to a substantive post might prevent an individual from returning to their original role. He expressed concern that this could result in a situation where individuals were, in effect, granted roles by default, thereby restricting the Authority’s ability to undertake a full recruitment process. Whilst reiterating his support for the proposed delegation to the Chief Executive to make temporary appointments for business continuity purposes, he emphasised the importance of ensuring that such arrangements did not fetter future decision?making. The Head of Human Resources advised that, in such circumstances, the approach would be to maintain the substantive post. It was explained that where an individual was appointed temporarily to another role, their substantive position would be retained, and where necessary, backfilled on a fixed?term basis. This would ensure that the original role remained available for the individual to return to at the conclusion of the temporary arrangement, thereby avoiding any unintended permanency or restriction on future recruitment. Councillor Anji Tinley raised concerns regarding the proposed amendment to the Constitution, stating that in her view the change was not minor and could have implications for Member oversight. She referred to the existing provisions and suggested these were intended to safeguard against misuse of delegated powers, questioning whether the proposal would weaken Member involvement in senior staffing decisions. Councillor Tinley also sought clarification on how underperformance in temporary appointments would be managed, and whether such decisions should instead be brought before the Committee. The Chief Executive advised that established performance management processes would apply equally to both temporary and permanent appointments. The Head of Law and Governance clarified that the amendment would require formal approval and was not minor in procedural terms but was limited in scope to a small change in wording intended to clarify ambiguity within the Constitution. Councillor Tinley remained concerned, noting that examples such as sickness absence or maternity leave would often allow time for the Committee to convene. She questioned whether there were circumstances where decisions could not reasonably be referred to the Committee. In response, the Chief Executive explained that cover was typically required where absence exceeded 28 days, and that at Head of Service level there may be statutory responsibilities requiring timely cover to ensure continuity. It was also noted that temporary appointments would follow an internal recruitment process, with appropriate Member involvement, such as representation on interview panels. Councillor Paul Miller reflected on the need to balance Member oversight with operational flexibility and proposed that any temporary appointments made under delegated authority be reported to the Committee to ensure transparency. Councillor Paul Miller Moved the Recommendations, with an additional Recommendation that the Senior Staff Committee be notified by the Chief Executive of temporary appointments as soon as reasonably practicable; Seconded by Councillor Jon Harvey. Councillor Vanessa Thomas sought clarification on the delegation to the Monitoring Officer to make consequential amendments. The Head of Law and Governance confirmed that this would be limited to changes necessary to implement the Committee’s decision and ensure consistency across documents, rather than an open?ended power. Councillor Tinley maintained her concerns and the view that such decisions should remain with the Committee, while it was noted that the proposal sought to balance operational needs with appropriate governance, and that permanent appointments would continue to be determined by the Committee. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Di Clements, Tessa Hodgson, Jon Harvey and Paul Miller [5] Against the Motion: Councillors Anji Tinley and Vanessa Thomas [2] There were no abstentions. RESOLVED That the Committee recommends to Council: (a) That Part 2.2.2 of section 14 of the Constitution be amended as set out above to clarify the position in relation to temporary appointments at Head of Service level. (b) That delegated authority be given to the Monitoring Officer to make consequential amendments to the Constitution, including the terms of reference of the Senior Staff Committee and any related policies or documents. (c) That the Senior Staff Committee be notified by the Chief Executive of temporary appointments as soon as reasonably practicable.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED (a) That the redesignation and regrading of the Professional Construction Services Manager role to a Corporate Manager post reporting directly to the Director of Place/Assistant Chief Executive, be noted. (b) That the proposed senior management restructuring set out in this report, including the transfer of Economic Development and Regeneration to the Head of Property be approved. (c) That approval of the redesignation of the post to Head of Property, Economic Development and Regeneration, in accordance with the Constitution, be recommended to Full Council.
The Committee considered a report from the Chief Executive which outlined the proposed senior management restructuring following the previous decision of Full Council in May 2025 to remove the post of Head of Economic Development and Regeneration. It was reported that, on an interim basis, responsibility for those functions had sat with the Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Place, pending further review. The Chief Executive advised that, following that review, a strong synergy had been identified between the Economic Development and Regeneration functions and those of the Head of Property. It was therefore proposed that these functions be transferred to the Head of Property to provide greater focus and alignment. It was further reported that, due to the scale and breadth of responsibilities, it would be necessary to remove the Professional Construction Services function from the Head of Property’s remit. This function, which delivered capital projects across the Authority, would instead report directly to the Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Place. The post of Professional Construction Services Manager would also be redesignated and regraded to a Corporate Manager role. Councillor Paul Miller noted that the redesignation of the Professional Construction Services Manager post was not a matter for the Committee, and that the key decision related to the inclusion of Economic Development and Regeneration within the Head of Property’s portfolio. He expressed support for the proposal, citing the synergies between the service areas, but commented that the financial implications should be more clearly reflected within the report. Councillor Di Clements also expressed support but sought assurance that the changes would not dilute the focus required within the service, particularly given historical challenges. In response, the Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Place advised that the proposal would strengthen alignment between property assets and regeneration activity, ensuring that buildings were utilised effectively to support economic outcomes, and that there would be no loss of focus within the service. Councillor Anji Tinley raised concerns regarding previous changes to the structure and queried the cost associated with the earlier deletion of the Head of Economic Development and Regeneration post. She also expressed concern regarding the scale of the Professional Construction Services function and suggested it may warrant Head of Service status. The Chief Executive clarified that no new Head of Service post was being created, and that the proposal related to the realignment of existing functions rather than the replacement of a previous role. The Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Place added that the changes were intended to provide coordination and alignment rather than replicate the previous post. The Head of Human Resources confirmed that the Professional Construction Services Manager post had been subject to a full job evaluation process and met the criteria for a Corporate Manager role, noting that Head of Service roles typically carried a broader remit. Councillor Vanessa Thomas raised concern that insufficient detail had been provided regarding the wider structure and its impact, suggesting that an organisational chart would have been helpful. The Chair concurred with this view. In response, the Chief Executive advised that an organisational chart had been prepared and would be circulated to Members following the meeting. Councillor Jon Harvey expressed support for the proposal, noting the clear alignment between the service areas. During further discussion, Councillor Tinley queried the proposed title of the post, suggesting that Regeneration should be explicitly referenced. The Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Place advised that Economic Development was considered to encompass regeneration activities, although acknowledged the Committee’s preference if it wished to amend the title. Councillor Paul Miller Moved the Recommendations, with the amendment that approval of the redesignation of the post to Head of Property, Economic Development and Regeneration, in accordance with the Constitution, be recommended to Full Council; Seconded by Councillor Jon Harvey. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Di Clements, Tessa Hodgson, Jon Harvey, Paul Miller, Vanessa Thomas and Anji Tinley [7] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED (a) That the redesignation and regrading of the Professional Construction Services Manager role to a Corporate Manager post reporting directly to the Director of Place/Assistant Chief Executive, be noted. (b) That the proposed senior management restructuring set out in this report, including the transfer of Economic Development and Regeneration to the Head of Property be approved. (c) That approval of the redesignation of the post to Head of Property, Economic Development and Regeneration, in accordance with the Constitution, be recommended to Full Council.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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