Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

The Chair introduced the report and reminded Members that the current Head of Paid Service, Pat Pratley was appointed to the role on an interim basis of 18 months, pending the anticipated changes to the council senior leadership team following the creation of the new 2020 company, and the need to review the remaining senior management structure during 2017. The HR Manager reported that this review had now been carried out and Members were being asked to endorse the rationale for the creation of the post of Chief Executive, to agree the responsibilities, grade and salary for the post of Chief Executive Officer, agree that the current HOPS be appointed to the post of Chief Executive Officer from 1 August 2017 and request that the Chief Executive Officer undertakes a review of the Senior Leadership Team and Service Managers and recommend to Council that the post of Chief Executive Officer be created and appoint Pat Pratley with effect from 1 August 2017.

The HR Manager went on to explain that as the role of Chief Executive was a statutory one attracting a salary of more than £100k it would be subject to Council approval. The salary band (£105k-£115k) for the redesignated post had been proposed following an analysis of relevant comparative pay data by the Local Government Association (LGA) and benchmarking against similar level public positions across Gloucestershire. Pat Pratley would be appointed on the bottom spinal column point of £105k and in line with current Council policy would move up to £109k after a six month period.

Members considered the recommendations and supported the proposal. They were now familiar with Pat Pratley’s knowledge and expertise having worked closely with her for a number of years in her role as Executive Director, Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service. They felt it important that the organisation should  move forward with the necessary leadership, capacity and skills to deliver high quality services to people in Cheltenham now and into the future and believed Pat was the right person for this.  They recognised that the Head of Paid Service descriptor was a less familiar role outside of local government and a chief executive was more widely recognised by external stakeholders, partners and the public as the ambassador for the council on a local, regional and national level. When asked whether there was a risk to the council in terms of the fact that the previous Chief Executive Officer post had been made redundant, the HR Manager confirmed that there was no risk, the previous Chief Executive had willingly accepted redundancy and the organisation, in terms of its structure and number of staff employed, was similar to that prior to the deletion of the post of Chief Executive in March 2016 due to the decision by Council to withdraw revenues, benefits and customer services from the 2020 joint committee which took effect from November 2016.

RESOLVED THAT

1. Endorses the rationale for creation of the post of Chief Executive Officer to replace the current post of Head of Paid Service be endorsed.
2. the responsibilities (to include the statutory roles of Head of Paid Service (HoPS) & Returning Officer), grade and salary for the post of Chief Executive Officer be agreed.
3. the current Head of Paid Service, Pat Pratley, be appointed to the post of Chief Executive Officer from 1 August 2017
4. the Chief Executive Officer be requested to undertake a review of the Senior Leadership Team (Phase 1) and Service Managers (Phase 2) to ensure that the Council has the necessary capacity, skills and behaviours within the executive and service management organisational delivery model and budget to deliver the Council’s vision.

Council be recommended to

5. create a post of Chief Executive Officer (to include the statutory roles of Head of Paid Service & Returning Officer) as set out in this report
6. approve the appointment of Pat Pratley to the post of Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 August 2017