Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, councillors are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

The Mayor took the opportunity to invite representatives from each party to pay tribute to Natalie Brahma-Pearl, the Council’s current Chief Executive as this was her last Full Council meeting.  Councillors Jones, Crow, Lamb, C Mullins, Burgess, Pritchard, K Khan and the Mayor all extended their best wishes and thanks for having skilfully led the Council and its staff through a period that had included some exceptionally difficult times.

To consider report LDS/208 of the Head of Governance, People and Performance and the Leader of the Council. (To Follow).

The Leader presented report LDS/208 by the Head of Governance, People and Performance and the Leader of the Council to the Full Council, which sort their approval for the appointment of a new Chief Executive, Head of Paid Service, the Returning Officer and the Electoral Registration Officer.

The report detailed that there had been a rigorous recruitment process, involving several high-calibre candidates and four rounds of interviews with staff, external stakeholders and the Councillors’ Employment Panel and a copy of these Employment Panel minutes had been included within the report.

The Leader stated that the Employment Panel’s nomination to Council for the new Chief Executive was Ian Duke, the Council’s Deputy Chief Executive, and he was happy to endorse its recommendation to the Full Council and looked forward to working with him in continuing the work he had done for the Council over the previous five years.

The Leader of the Opposition Councillor Crow, who also was on the Employment Panel, seconded the recommendation of Ian Duke as the new Chief Executive and commented that he was looking forward to working with Ian in his new capacity.

Councillors Nawaz, S Mullins, C Mullins and the Mayor Councillor Hart also spoke in support of the recommendation.

The Mayor called for a vote and the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

The Mayor welcomed Ian Duke to his new role of Chief Executive on behalf of the Full Council.

RESOLVED

That the Full Council:

1.         notes the Employment Panel nomination of Ian Duke as the new Chief Executive.

2.         agrees the appointment of Ian Duke to the position of Chief Executive of Crawley Borough Council with effect from Monday 25 September 2023, at a salary of £118,486 p.a.

3.         agrees the designation of Ian Duke as Head of Paid Service of Crawley Borough Council under Section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 with effect from Monday 25 September 2023.

4.         appoints Ian Duke, as the Returning Officer and the Electoral Registration Officer, with effect from Monday 25 September 2023.