Agenda item

With reference to Article 17 of the minute of its meeting of 14 May 2014, the Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which recommended changes to the second tier level of the organisational structure.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)       approve the second tier structural model as set out in appendix 1 to the report;

(b)       instruct the Chief Executive and her respective Directors to report phase three structural proposals to the appropriate committee within two committee cycles from 20 August 2014, where possible;

(c)        note that the process for filling posts would be that which the Council approved at its meeting of 14 May 2014;

(d)       approve the establishment of the necessary number of Appointment Panels comprising nine members in total (3+3+1+1+1) to appoint to vacant Head of Service posts in accordance with the process agreed for filling posts which are new roles or where no job matches can be established and to delegate powers to the Appointment Panel to agree all matters relating to the recruitment process, including role profile, person specification and salary, and to appoint a Convener from within their membership. In addition, to approve the establishment of a further Appointment Panel with the same composition to appoint to the vacant post of Director of Corporate Governance, delegating powers to agree all matters relating to the recruitment process as for Heads of Service, and to appoint, as part of the membership, the Convener of Finance, Policy and Resources as Convener of this Appointment Panel;

(e)       approve the appointment of external recruitment consultants for the purposes of supporting the recruitment to the vacant Director of Corporate Governance and Heads of Service posts where appropriate and:-

·         invoke Standing Order 1(6)(a) of the Council’s Standing Orders relating to Contracts and Procurement to dis-apply the requirements of Standing Order 5, thereby allowing a contract to be entered into with the recruitment consultants to support the recruitment process for those posts without the need to undertake a competitive tendering exercise; and

·         note the expenditure associated with these recruitment exercises, which was estimated to be no more than £100,000, and that these costs be met from contingencies; and

(f)        suspend Standing Order 22(1) and amend the title of the Director of Communities and Infrastructure to Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure, and amend the service title from Communities and Infrastructure to Communities, Housing and Infrastructure, consistent with the proposed title of the service’s parent committee.

Councillor Laing moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor McCaig moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Dickson:-

That the Council approve the recommendations contained within the report with the exception that the post of Head of Communications and Promotion be deleted from the structure and that the functions beneath that post transfer to the post of Head of Service, Office of Chief Executive.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

For the amendment  (18)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, McCaig, Malone, May, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.