Issue - meetings

This report proposes a recommendation from Employment Committee that Full Council appoint a suitable candidate to the role of Director of Law & Governance and the statutory position of Monitoring Officer.

Members considered a recommendation from the Employment Committee held on 16 September 2025 to appoint Graham Kitchen as Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer.

There had been relatively few applications for the role, potentially due to the number of cuts seen in local government. Six candidates in total applied for the role. The process prior to the interviews included a longlisting process by a panel comprised of the Solace Group consultants, the Council’s Chief Executive, and the HR Team. Each candidate was scored against an objective criterion. The longlisting panel unanimously agreed that four candidates should proceed to an assessment stage held on 3 September 2025. Prior to the assessment stage, one candidate dropped out, which resulted in 3 candidates going forward to that stage. The assessment stage was composed of technical interviews, psychometric testing and a written exercise relating to the Code of Conduct. As part of the assessment stage, candidates all met with the corporate management team, as well as the Leader of the Council.

The candidate before Full Council, Graham Kitchen, had experience of handling Code of Conduct complaints and came from a background of Commercial Law. He handled questioning from Employment Committee very proficiently and was enthusiastic about taking the role.

It was confirmed that Graham Kitchen would have to serve three months’ notice with his current employer.

Having previously been moved and seconded, and following a vote it was AGREED:

That Full Council appoint Graham Kitchen to the role of Director of Law & Governance and the statutory position of Monitoring Officer, from an agreed commencement date, as recommended by Employment Committee.

The meeting resumed at 11.30am.

It was AGREED to recommend to Full Council that the candidate be appointed to the post of Director of Law and Governance and appointed as the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

The meeting concluded at 12.35pm.