Report of the Director of HROD and Transformation and the City Solicitor attached

The Council considered a report of the Director of Human Resources, Organisation Development and Transformation and the City Solicitor that set out the process for the appointment of the City Council’s permanent Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service and made recommendations to the Personnel Committee and the City Council in respect of the appointment of a Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service.

The report included the minutes of the:

·       Personnel Sub-Committee held on 14 October 2024;

·       Personnel Committee held on 16 October 2024;

·       The Role Portfolio of the Chief Executive post.

The report provided the background to the appointment process following the resignation of Joanne Roney in June 2024, and the process to appoint a Chief Executive. The process included the establishment of a Personnel Sub-Committee to agree the approach to recruitment and selection of a candidate for recommendation to the Council. The Personnel Sub-Committee met on 14 October to interview candidates and unanimously recommended that, subject to consultation with the Executive, in accordance with Annex 1 of the Officer Employment Procedure Rules and acceptance of conditional offer of employment by Tom Stannard, the Council approve the appointment of Tom Stannard as Chief Executive and designate Tom Stannard as Head of Paid Service. 

The Lord Mayor invited the Leader of the Council to move the recommendations to appoint Tom Stannard as Chief Executive.

In moving the recommendations, the Leader of the Council referred to the robust and detailed assessment and interview process undertaken to consider a wide selection of talented candidates from various backgrounds. The process had made clear that the post holder would be required to commit in the longer term to moving the organisation forward over the coming years to match the ambition the Council has for its residents and to grow and maintain Manchester’s reputation as a world class city. And, in doing so to the post holder would work to address inequalities and the demand for housing. In recommending Tom Stannard to be appointed as Chief Executive, the Leader noted the length and depth of background experience Tom has gained from working for and with a number of councils across the country. The proposed appointment had been welcomed and endorsed by a number of other councils and organisations.

The Council was invited to approve the recommendations.

Decisions

The Council agreed to:

1.     Receive, and note the contents of, the minutes of the meetings of the Personnel Sub Committee on 14 October 2024 and the Personnel Committee on 16 October 2024.

2. Approve the appointment of Tom Stannard as Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, with effect from a date to be confirmed, at a salary of £220,982 p.a. (pay award pending).

3. Designate Tom Stannard as Head of Paid Service of Manchester City Council under Section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, with effect from a date to be confirmed.

4. Appoint Tom Stannard as the Electoral Registration Officer for Manchester under Section 8(2) of the Representation of the People Act  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.