Issue - meetings

To receive the report of the Head of Paid Service concerning the designation of a Monitoring Officer.

To receive the report of the Head of Paid Service concerning the designation of a Monitoring Officer.

Councillor Cook, introduced the report and outlined the legal requirement to appoint a Monitoring Officer as well as the statutory duties arising from taking up the role. He noted that the temporary arrangement with the previous interim Monitoring Officer had ceased, that Alice McAlpine was employed by One Legal and had the requisite experience and capacity to fulfil the role. It was proposed that Alice McAlpine be designated as the Council’s permanent Monitoring Officer until further notice on a 2.5 day/week basis.

Councillor Hilton sought clarification on the financial implications of the appointment which was provided by the Managing Director. He advised that the proposal was, in effect, a secondment arrangement and that while the numerical figure was greater than the previous arrangement, given the increased duties the Monitoring Officer would be undertaking, it was a more cost-effective undertaking.

In response to a query from Councillor Pullen as to whether HR processes had been activated, the Managing Director advised that it was a very difficult market to recruit to such a role and that the combined Monitoring Officer and Regeneration lawyer role was a prudent approach. It was also confirmed that it was not necessary to activate such processes.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL:- that Alice McAlpine be designated at the Council’s Monitoring Officer.