The Top Management Review Panel was scheduled to meet to review the performance of the Corporate Leadership Team for the 2025/26 appraisal year. The meeting agenda included a review of high-performance indicators and the conduct of business.

Conduct of Business and Outline of Process

The Panel was scheduled to consider the performance of the Corporate Leadership Team against their objectives for the 2025/26 appraisal year. This included the Chief Executive, Director of Adult Social Care & Health, Director of Children's Services, and Director of Finance & Corporate Services. The appraisal documentation for the Director of Place, who was due to leave the Council on 7 May 2026, was to include a reflective summary of their performance over the past year rather than an assessment against specific objectives.

The review was to be conducted in line with the Council's revised Performance, Wellbeing and Development Scheme, which was adopted in July 2021. A review of this scheme was underway with a new appraisal process planned for April 2027. The Panel was to assess progress against key objectives, which reflect the Corporate Plan's priorities, using a rating scale from 1 (Not met) to 4 (Exceeded achieved and exceeded all objectives to an excellent standard). Behaviour and attitude, assessed on the same scale, and compliance with procedural and legislative requirements, rated from 1 to 3, were also to be considered. An overall rating would determine if an increment was awarded to those not at the top of their grade.

The report pack also outlined proposed Directorate and Corporate objectives for 2026/27. The meeting was scheduled to include discussions on health and wellbeing, and personal development, which are key aims of the scheme.

High Performance Indicators

The meeting was scheduled to consider the High Performance Indicators (HPIs) which outline the behaviours expected of staff and managers. These indicators are aligned with the Council's values of Innovation, Leadership, Collaboration, Listening and Responding, Open and Accessible, and Impact. For example, under the value of Innovation, staff are expected to respond flexibly and adapt to changing demands, while managers are expected to routinely look for innovative and cost-effective ways to improve performance and customer service. The HPIs are intended to drive changes in how services are delivered and to encourage new ways of thinking.

Declarations of Interests

The agenda included a section on declarations of interests and dispensations, providing guidance to Members on declaring interests relevant to any item on the agenda. This guidance outlined the definitions of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests, as prescribed by The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012. Members were advised on the actions to be taken if they had an interest to declare, including leaving the room during the discussion of the relevant item and not voting, unless a dispensation had been granted.

Items of Late Business

The Panel was to consider any items of late business, which would only be dealt with if the Chairman deemed them to be of urgent concern due to special circumstances.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

A recommendation was scheduled to be considered for the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting during the consideration of agenda Item 6b, Exempt Appendix 2. This was due to the item containing exempt information relating to the evaluation of the performance of the Chief Executive and Directors, including any recommendations for performance-related pay awards. The exclusion was proposed on the grounds that public disclosure would outweigh the public interest in maintaining the exemption, as per Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.