The Chief Officers' Employment Panel of Harrow Council was scheduled to meet on Thursday 13 February 2025. The primary item on the agenda was the appointment of a new Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy. The meeting was also scheduled to include standard procedural items such as noting membership, receiving declarations of interest, and confirming the minutes of the previous meeting.

Appointment of Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy

The main business of the meeting was scheduled to be the consideration of an appointment to the significant role of Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy. This item was to be discussed in private, with the press and public excluded. The exclusion was justified on the grounds that the discussion would involve the likely disclosure of confidential information relating to individuals and the financial and business affairs of particular persons, as defined under the Local Government Act 1972¹. The report pack indicated that this item was added to the agenda late due to special circumstances and urgency, as the information was not available at the time the original agenda was printed. The panel was scheduled to interview shortlisted candidates for this position.

Procedural Matters

Before moving to the confidential item, the panel was scheduled to address several procedural matters. These included noting the membership of the panel, receiving any declarations of interest from members, and taking the minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 December 2024 as a correct record. The minutes from the December meeting, available in the COEP - 11 December 2024 - Minutes, noted the recruitment process for a Strategic Director of Corporate Resources and Innovation and the unanimous resolution to offer the post of Director of Public Health to Laurence Gibson.