Agenda item

Report number LN/08/01 by the Leader.                          (Enclosure)

DECISION:

(1)           That the Council authorise leave of absence for Duncan Kerr, the Chief Executive for a thirteen week period from Monday 2^nd of June 2008;

(2)           The Council appoints the officers identified below to discharge the following duties during the period specified:

               The duties:

·                Head of Paid Service, and

·                Electoral Registration Officer (in fulfillment of the requirement of Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1983) and Returning Officer (under the requirements of Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1972).

·      The full range of other duties set-down in the Chief Executive’s job description.

               Officers Appointed and term:

Beverly Agass for the period from Friday 18th April to Tuesday 15th July 2008(inclusive), during which time Ian Yates will be the appointed deputy with full powers.

Ian Yates for the period from Wednesday 16th July to Sunday 28th September 2008, (inclusive) during which time Beverly Agass will be the appointed deputy with full powers.

The Council had before it report number LN/08/1 by the Leader of the Council regarding a request from the Chief Executive that he be granted an authorised leave of absence for a period of 13 weeks over the summer of 2008.

[The Chief Executive (Duncan Kerr) and the two Strategic Directors (Beverly Agass and Ian Yates) had all left the council chamber before consideration of this item.  The Chief Executive returned during consideration of the second part of the resolution.]

At the start of the discussion, it became apparent that contractual and other staffing matters would be raised.  A proposal was therefore made that the press and public be excluded.  A vote was taken on this proposal, and it was agreed that:

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business because of the likelihood that otherwise exempt information, as described in paragraph 1 of the Act would be disclosed to the press and public.

[At 5.14pm members of the press, public and all other officers with the exception of the Section 151 officer, the Monitoring Officer, the HR&OD service manager, and the clerk to the meeting, left the council chamber.]

[In accordance with council procedure rule 9, as the meeting was nearing being in progress for three hours, the majority of members present voted for the meeting to continue.]

The Council discussed the request submitted by the Chief Executive.  Arguments for and against the request were aired during which an amendment to the Leader’s recommendation contained in her report was proposed and seconded.  Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

After further debate, a vote was taken on the recommendation as presented paragraph 2.1 of the Leader’s report and this was carried.

[The press, public and those officers previously excluded from the meeting, including the Chief Executive, returned to the council chamber.]

[Councillors Miss Channell, Jock Kerr and Peter Martin-Mayhew left the meeting before the vote was taken on the second part of the resolution.]

The recommendation contained in paragraph 2.2 of the Leader’s report was so moved and seconded and, following a further vote, carried.