Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair for the duration of the meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Arif be elected as Chair for the duration of the meeting.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents received.

RESOLVED – That Appendix 2 to the report entitled ‘Appointment of the Director of Adults and Health’ in Minute No. 7 be designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(1) and (2) and on the grounds that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information by reason of the need to maintain the competitive nature of the interview process and to retain information submitted by individual applicants in confidence, as disclosure could undermine the process, future appointment processes, or the outcome on this occasion to the detriment of the Council’s and public interest.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

There were no declarations made during the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence from the meeting.

Whilst Cllr Jenkins was in attendance at the shortlisting part of the meeting held on 15^th December 2023, he had submitted his apologies for absence from the interviews held 21^st December 2023.

To consider the report of the City Solicitor which provides an overview of the governance arrangements and format of this specific Employment Committee.

The City Solicitor submitted a report which provided Members with an overview of the governance arrangements and format for this specific Employment Committee which had responsibility for recruitment to the position of Director of Adults and Health.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the governance arrangements and format relating to the Employment Committee, as detailed in the submitted report, be noted;

(b)  That the Council’s requirements regarding the consideration and disclosure of ‘exempt’ information, be noted.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive regarding recruitment to the position of Director of Adults and Health.

(Please note that Appendix 2 to this report is designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1) and (2)).

(Appendix 2 to follow)

The Chief Executive submitted a report which outlined the process for the recruitment to the position of Director of Adult and Health. 

Appendix 2 to this report, which contained candidates’ details (designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1) and (2)) was circulated to Committee Members for their consideration prior to the meeting.

The Chief Executive together with the Chief Officer for Human Resources were in attendance at the meeting in an advisory capacity.

Prior to the meeting, the Committee had been informed that one of the candidates had withdrawn their application from the recruitment process.

Having considered the publicly accessible parts of the submitted report and appendices, the Committee agreed to go into private session at this point in order to undertake the formal recruitment process (shortlisting) and specifically consider the information contained within Appendix 2 (candidates’ details) to the submitted report which had been designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1) and (2).

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the submitted report, be noted;

(b)  That 2 candidates be shortlisted for formal interview.

At this point, the meeting was adjourned.

The meeting was reconvened on Thursday, 21^st December 2023 to undertake the formal interview process.

Councillors: S Arif (Chair), F Venner and P Alderson were in attendance. As referenced in Minute No. 5 above, Cllr D Jenkins had submitted his apologies for absence from this part of the meeting.

The Chief Executive together with the Chief Officer for Human Resources were in attendance at the meeting in an advisory capacity.

Having considered all relevant information provided to the Committee in respect of the shortlisted candidates together with the outcomes from the interviews, it was

RESOLVED – That Caroline Baria be offered the position of Director of Adults and Health, subject to the conclusion of the associated notification processes, as set out within the Officer Employment Procedure Rules.