Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which sought approval (1) of the processes in respect of board appointments to Bon Accord Care Ltd and Bon Accord Support Services Ltd; (2) of board appointments to Aberdeen Sports Village Ltd; and (3) to amend the role of Chief Officer - People and Organisation prior to recruiting.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee -

            Bon Accord Care (BAC)/Bon Accord Support Services (BASS)

(a)          direct BAC and BASS to follow the recruitment processes and establish an appointments panel (all as detailed in section 3 of the report) to identify a preferred candidate for the posts of Managing Director of BAC and BASS (the same individual to be appointed as Managing Director of both BAC and BASS);

(b)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Governance, following consultation with the Director of Resources, to undertake any necessary actions or procedures, and to sign any documentation, on behalf of the Council as sole member of BAC and BASS in order to finalise the appointments to these Managing Director posts;

(c)          authorise BAC and BASS to follow a recruitment process including establishing an appointments panel for preferred candidates (which panel will include a Council director and the Leader of the Council) and to take such other action as necessary so as to identify preferred candidates for other future vacant Director posts relating to BAC and BASS, whether Managing Director or otherwise;

(d)          delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Governance, following consultation with the Director of Resources, to undertake any necessary actions or procedures, and to sign any documentation, on behalf of the Council as sole member of BAC and BASS in order to finalise any future Director appointments, whether Managing Director or otherwise;

Aberdeen Sports Village

(e)          appoint the preferred candidate identified in Appendix B as a Council nominated Director to the Board of Aberdeen Sports Village Ltd;

(f)           approve the proposal by the University of Aberdeen to appoint its preferred candidate identified in Appendix B as a Director to the Board of Aberdeen Sports Village Ltd;

Chief Officer - People and Organisation

(g)          approve a change in job title for the Chief Officer - People and Organisation to Chief Officer - Organisational Development to reflect the requirements of the role;

(h)          approve the revised job profile for the role of Chief Officer - Organisational Development as attached at Appendix A to the report; and

(i)            agree that the Interim Chief Officer - People and Organisation carry out a recruitment campaign, led and managed by the Council, to the aforementioned post and then to follow the previously agreed selection process for Chief Officer appointments.

At this juncture the Committee asked a number of questions of officers in relation to the report and the three sets of recommendations.

In accordance with Article 2 of this minute, Councillor Cameron left the meeting prior to questions in relation to the proposed appointments for Aberdeen Sports Village Ltd, and Councillor Townson joined the meeting as his substitute.

In relation to Appendix B, the Senior Democratic Services Manager provided the Committee with additional anonymised information relating to the candidates.

            Councillor Cameron re-joined the meeting at this juncture.

The Committee then proceeded to determine the recommendations contained within the report, firstly in relation to Aberdeen Sports Village Ltd.

In accordance with Article 2 of this minute, Councillor Cameron left the meeting and Councillor Townson re-joined the meeting as his substitute.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve recommendations (e) and (f); and

(ii)          to request that future reports contain a small biography of preferred candidates, rather than just their names, along with an outline of the process by which they were selected.

Councillor Cameron re-joined the meeting at this juncture.

The Vice Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Sellar:-

            That the Committee -

(1)      approve recommendation (a);

(2)      agree to appoint Councillor Laing whom failing Councillor Lumsden as the Council’s nominee, as the political representative on the appointments panel as detailed in section 3 of the report;

(3)      approve recommendation (b) with the addition of “and for the appointments to be notified to the Council by means of a service update”; and

(4)      approve recommendations (c) and (d).

Councillor Jackie Dunbar moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Yuill:-

            That the Committee -

(1)      approve recommendation (a);

(2)      agree to appoint Councillor Laing, whom failing Councillor Lumsden, and one opposition Group Leader as the Council’s nominees, as the political representatives on the appointments panel as detailed in section 3 of the report;

(3)      approve recommendation (b) with the addition of “and for the appointments to be notified to the Council by means of a service update”; and

(4)      approve recommendations (c) and (d).

On a division, there voted:-  for the motion  (5)  -  Vice Convener; and Councillors Bell, Graham, Grant and Sellar;  for the amendment  (4)  -  Councillors Cameron, Jackie Dunbar, Nicoll and Yuill.

The Committee further resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

The Committee further resolved:-

to approve recommendations (g), (h) and (i).