Hart logo
Hart Borough Council
Councillors: 33
Wards: 11
Committees: 14
Meetings (2025): 60
Meetings (2024): 60

Meeting

Staffing and Appeals Committee - Hart

Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Tuesday, 4th April 2023
7:00 PM
End:
Tuesday, 4th April 2023
11:00 PM
Actual Time
Started:
Tuesday, 4th April 2023
7:00 PM
Finished:
Tuesday, 4th April 2023
12:35 AM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
04 Apr 2023
Location:
Council Chamber
Meeting Attendees
Stuart Bailey photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Community Services
Stuart Bailey

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

View Profile
Dr Anne Crampton photo
Committee Member
Dr Anne Crampton

Conservative

Apologies, sent representative

View Profile
Chris Dorn photo
Committee Member
Vice-Chairman
Chris Dorn

Conservative

Present, as substitute

View Profile
Spencer Farmer photo
Committee Member
Spencer Farmer

Conservative

Present, as expected

View Profile
James Radley photo
Committee Member
Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder - Finance
James Radley

Community Campaign Hart

Apologies

View Profile
Peter Wildsmith photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Regulatory
Peter Wildsmith

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

View Profile
Wendy Makepeace-Browne photo
Chairman
Wendy Makepeace-Browne

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

View Profile
Gill Butler photo
Committee Member
Gill Butler

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

View Profile
David Neighbour photo
Committee Member
Leader
David Neighbour

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

View Profile
Jane Worlock photo
Committee Member
Jane Worlock

Conservative

Present, as expected

View Profile
Officer
Executive Director, Corporate Services & S151 Officer
Graeme Clark

In attendance

Officer
People & OD Manager
Brijesh Mehta

In attendance

Agenda
0 Chief Executive's Proposed Objectives 2023-24
Attachments:
Minutes
1 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2023 are attached to be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on 9th February 2023 were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. (Discrepancy of incorrect agenda item date reconciled).
2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.
Minutes Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Crampton and Radley.

Councillor Dorn attended as a substitute for Councillor Crampton.
3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To declare disposable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.
Minutes There were no declarations of interest.
4 CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Minutes The Chairman had no announcements.
5 CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S OBJECTIVES SETTING FOR 2023/2024
To consider the performance objectives for the Chief Executive for the coming year, 2023/24. The objectives are used as a basis of evaluation of the Chief Executives’ performance.

To consider the implement of an appraisal process for the Chief Executive and Chief Officers in line with the guidance laid out within the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Handbooks for both Chief Executives and Chief Officers.

RECOMMENDATION

1.         Subject to any comments of the Staffing Committee, the 2023/2024 objectives for the Chief Executive as set out in Appendix 1 be confirmed.

2.         For future annual appraisals (i.e. 2024/2025 onwards) it is proposed to implement an appraisal process for the Chief Executive and Chief Officers in line with the guidance laid out within the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Handbooks for both Chief Executives and Chief Officers.

3.         In the case of the Chief Executive, it is recommended that Staffing Committee agrees to the annual cyclical use from 2024/2025 onwards of the LGAs Chief Executive 360 Framework tool.
Minutes To consider the performance objectives for the Chief Executive for the coming year, 2023/24. The objectives are used as a basis of evaluation of the Chief Executive’s performance.

Members discussions and recommendations included:

·       That the JNC handbook model appraisal framework be accepted for future appraisals, and the Committee agreed that a task and finish group of 3 members, one from each main party, should review the guidance and agree how to operate it in practice. Membership of the task and finish group will be agreed at the next Staffing Committee meeting and will be reported to Staffing Committee in January 2024.

·       The draft objectives set out in Appendix 1 were discussed in detail. Items such as Cyber Security, Civic Quarter and Returning Officer were discussed but it was agreed not to include them.

·       It was agreed that 8b and 9a in the covering report need to be rephrased to make them more meaningful.

The following amendments to Appendix 1 were agreed:

·       Dates and milestones must be added where appropriate.

·       Remove the 7th objective ‘Assess the impact of the Environment Act’.

·       Revise the 8th objective to read ‘Develop the Commercial Strategy and present options to maximise income and improve financial management and control’.

·       Insert a new objective ‘Effective leadership for a council-wide cost saving and efficiency programme in support of the MTFS which enables a balanced budget and targets resources to Corporate Plan priorities.

It was agreed that the revised version of Appendix 1 (which should include item numbers) should be agreed by the Chairman and Leader, then circulated to committee members and agreed by email.

DECISION

1. the 2023/2024 objectives for the Chief Executive set out in Appendix 1, updated by the above agreed amendments, be confirmed.

2. For future annual appraisals (i.e., 2024/2025 onwards) it is proposed to implement an appraisal process for the Chief Executive and Chief Officers in line with the guidance laid out within the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Handbooks for both Chief Executives and Chief Officers, subject to the task and finish group reviewing its operation as described above.

3. In the case of the Chief Executive, it is recommended that Staffing Committee agrees to the annual cyclical use, from 2024/2025 onwards, of the LGAs Chief Executive 360 Framework tool.

4. For all future Chief Executive annual appraisals, the current job specification and current objectives must be included in the Staffing Committee agenda paperwork.
6 NATIONAL GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT
To consider recommending to Cabinet that Cabinet considers the Council joining the Local Government Association (LGA) flagship management trainee programme – the National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).

RECOMMENDATION

That Cabinet agrees to the Council, subject to budget availability, joining the Local Government Association (LGA) National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).
Minutes To consider recommending to Cabinet that the Council joins the Local Government Association (LGA) flagship management trainee programme – the National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).

Members discussions and recommendations included:

·       That this approach should supplement, not replace, current recruitment practice and it should not exclude good quality, non-graduates from Hart intake.

·       We must be able to measure the value to the Council of this programme, and monitor its success, in terms of monetary and time costs incurred.

·       The risks of investing time in a graduate and them leaving after or before 2-years vs the benefit of having a high-caliber person working in priority services/projects

·       The benefits listed in the report including LGA funding and rigorous pre-selection process.

DECISION

That Staffing Committee recommends to Cabinet that, subject to budget availability, the Council should consider joining the Local Government Association (LGA) National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).

This decision was Proposed by Councillor Worlock; Seconded by Councillor Farmer.
Previous Meetings
Meeting

27th Feb 2025

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

24th Sep 2024

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

24th Apr 2024

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

6th Mar 2024

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

21st Nov 2023

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

4th Apr 2023

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

9th Feb 2023

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

20th Oct 2022

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

2nd Sep 2022

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

10th Feb 2022

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Future Meetings
Meeting

18th Sep 2025

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Meeting

12th Mar 2026

Staffing and Appeals Committee

Join the Discussion

You need to be signed in to comment.

Sign in