Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.

"No meeting of the Council, the Executive, Committee or Sub-Committee shall consider any issue relating to the appointment, promotion, dismissal, salary, superannuation, conditions of service or the conduct of any employee, or former employee until it has considered whether to exercise the power of exclusion of the public under section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972".

The Mayor in relation to item 3 on the agenda (minute 2781refers) requested the Council to consider paragraph D1.30 of Part D Rule 1 – Council Procedure Rules as follows –

‘No meeting of the Council, the Executive, Committee or Sub-Committee shall consider any issue relating to the appointment, promotion, dismissal, salary, superannuation, conditions of service or the conduct of any employee, or former employee until it has considered whether to exercise the power of exclusion of the public under section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972’ –

and subsequently whether or not the meeting for this item, should be held in public or not.

Resolved Unanimously – That item 3 on the agenda (minute 2781 refers) be considered in public.

The Director: Business Development reported orally that under the Council’s Officer Employment Procedure Rules, it was required that chief officers were appointed by a committee of the Council. The Appointment and Employment Committee therefore make decisions in relation to the appointment of chief officers, but Council must approve recommendations in relation to the appointment of the council’s post designated as the Head of Paid Service, which is the position of Chief Executive.

Ahead of the current Chief Executive retiring from her role, a recruitment and selection process had been undertaken for this post. The recruitment exercise resulted in five applicants being shortlisted to go forward to a ‘selection day’ process which took place on 22 July 2021. The Appointment and Employment Committee carried out the final interview part of the process which included the candidates giving a ten-minute unseen presentation prepared earlier in the day and then answered several questions asked by all members of the Committee.

Following the Committee’s deliberations, it “Recommended to Council – (a) That the next appointment to the post of Chief Executive be made, and Peter Thorpe be appointed as the Chief Executive of North Lincolnshire Council, and (b) that a start date be agreed by the Director: Business Development in consultation with the Leader”, and the Director requested Council to consider the recommendations of the Appointment and Employment Committee.

Members thanked the Director and all officers involved in the recruitment and selection process.

Moved by Councillor R Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor N Poole –

 “That the recommendations of the Appointment and Employment Committee (above) be approved and adopted”.

                                                                            Motion Carried Unanimously

Further to minute 2764, the Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report updating Council on progress of the periodic electoral review of North Lincolnshire being undertaken by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) and requested members to consider the recommendation of the Electoral Review Working Group of 16 July 2021 on the proposed Phase 2 ‘Warding Arrangements’ submission to be made by Council to the LGBCE.

The Director in her report explained that the LGBCE from 18 May to 26 July 2021 had been consulting on phase 2 ‘warding arrangements’ across North Lincolnshire inviting residents, key stakeholder groups and organisations, town and parish councils and North Lincolnshire Council to make submissions on warding arrangements in terms of numbers, names, boundaries and the number of councillors to be elected in each ward.  Submissions on warding arrangements should address ‘electoral quality’, ‘community identities and interests’, and ‘effective and convenient local government’ in accordance with LGBCE criteria.

The Electoral Review Working Group met on 16 July 2021 and considered a proposed phase 2 submission on ‘warding arrangements’ and by majority recommended ‘it be submitted to council for it to consider and approve as the council’s submission to the LGBCE’.  Appendix 1 to the report referred.  Submissions had to be submitted to the LGBCE by 26 July 2021. The LGBCE was intending to consult on its draft ‘warding arrangements’ proposals from 5 October to 13 December 2021 and would confirm these to the council in due course. Further reports would be presented to Council as the review progressed in accordance with the review timetable which was detailed in Appendix 2.       

Moved by Councillor R Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor N Poole –

“That having considered the recommendation of the Electoral Review Working Group, the proposed ‘warding arrangements’ (as at Appendix 1 of the Director’s report) be approved and adopted as the Council’s phase 2 submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE)”.                                                                                            

At the request of members and in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.22(d) the names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the motion are as follows –

FOR:  Councillors Armiger, Clark, J Davison, T Foster, Hannigan, Lee, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, Poole, Reed, Rose, Ross Rowson, Saunby, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, P Vickers, Walshe, Waltham MBE and Wells.

AGAINST:  Councillors Ali, Armitage, Bainbridge, A Davison, Ellerby, L Foster, Gosling, Grant, Rayner, Southern, Swift, Wilson and Yeadon.

ABSTAINING:  Nil

                                                                                                  Motion Carried