Agenda item

(Councillor C. Whitbread (Chairman of the Panel)) To consider a report and recommendations (to follow) arising from the meeting of the Panel held on 12 February 2019).

Mover: The Leader of Council

The Leader submitted a report regarding the appointment of the Chief Executive, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer.

Report as first moved ADOPTED

            RESOLVED:

Appointment of Chief Executive

(1)           That the Council noted that no objections were identified through the consultation under the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations 2001 with members of the Executive regarding the proposed appointment of Georgina Blakemore to the position of Chief Executive;

(2)           That Georgina Blakemore be offered the position of Chief Executive at the salary indicated in the report subject to final agreement of the contract;

(3)            That the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the Acting Chief Executive and the Service Director (Business Support Services), be authorised to agree a starting date and agree any other detailed terms in the contract as may arise, subject to legal advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Service Manager (Legal Services);

(4)           That the Council note that the Contract of Employment for the Chief Executive would make specific provision for clear and measurable performance management and supervision based on:

(a)           the Council’s key objectives;

(b)           specific personal targets to be set for the Chief Executive by the Leader of the Council; and

(c)           regular review meetings with the Leader of the Council of a kind and at a frequency which meets the best interests of the Council, together with an annual appraisal;

(5)           That the Leader of the Council be authorised to agree the termination date for the Acting Chief Executive, anticipated to be the 23 May 2019;

(6)           That the Council’s appreciation of Derek Macnab’s work as Acting Chief Executive be recorded;

Appointment of Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer

(7)           That, on the agreement of (1)-(5) above:

(a)           in accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, Georgina Blakemore be appointed as Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for the Council with effect from 24 May 2019; and

(b)           That in terms of Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1972 and all related legislation and with effect from 24 May 2019, Georgina Blakemore be appointed as Returning Officer for the Council, with authority to act in that capacity for elections to the District Council and all or any parish and town councils within the Epping Forest District;

(8)           That the Council’s Returning Officer/Electoral Registration Officer be also appointed or authorised to act in respect of all related electoral, poll or referendum duties, including those in relation to County Council elections, elections to the European Parliament (if required), and for national and regional or local polls and referendums;

(9)           That, in relation to the duties of Returning Officer or any other electoral, referendum or polling duties arising from such appointment, the Returning Officer shall be entitled to be remunerated in accordance with scale of fees approved by the Council for local elections, or the relevant scale of fees prescribed by a Fees Order in respect of national, regional or European Parliament elections, polls or referendums;

(10)        That in all cases where it is a legal requirement or normal practice to do so, fees paid to the Returning Officer shall be superannuable;

(11)        That, in relation to the conduct of local authority elections and polls, and elections to the United Kingdom Parliament and all other electoral duties where the Council was entitled by law to do so, the Council shall take out and maintain in force insurance indemnifying the Council and the Returning Officer against legal expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the defence of any proceedings brought against the Council or the Returning Officer and/or the cost of holding another election in the event of the original election being declared invalid (provided that such proceedings or invalidation are the result of the accidental contravention of the Representation of the People Acts or other legislation governing the electoral process, or accidental breach of any ministerial or other duty by the Returning Officer or any other person employed by or officially acting for him in connection with the election or poll); and

(12)        That any such insurance carrying an ‘excess’ clause by which an initial portion of risk was not insured, the Council, through its internal insurance fund or otherwise, would indemnify the Returning Officer up to the value of such excess.