The Appointments & Disciplinary Committee met to discuss the recommendation to appoint an interim chief executive, as well as to agree the minutes of previous meetings. The recommendation was for Elaine Jackson, the substantive Assistant Chief Executive, to be appointed as Interim Chief Executive for a period of 12 months. The agenda also included agreement of the minutes of previous meetings.

Recommendation to Appoint Interim Chief Executive

The committee was scheduled to consider a recommendation to appoint Elaine Jackson as Interim Chief Executive for 12 months, from 10 December 2025 to 9 December 2026. This recommendation was to then be passed to the Full Council for final approval.

The report pack noted that Katherine Kerswell, the previous chief executive, had resigned on 16 October 2025, and since then Elaine Jackson had been covering the role on a temporary basis.

The report stated that the recommendation for the interim appointment of Elaine Jackson would provide:

leadership continuity and stability during a period of significant transformation of Council services. Elaine Jackson has been the lead officer for the Council's transformation to date and the recommendation for this interim appointment ensures that she continues to provide leadership as Chief Executive overseeing the transformation implementation during this period of significant change.

The report also noted that Elaine Jackson had previously acted as Chief Executive in 2021, and has experience as a chief executive of another local authority, an NHS Trust, and in the private sector.

The report considered a number of alternative options:

• Acting up the substantive Assistant Chief Executive, at a cost of £52,826 for twelve months.
• Appointing an interim chief executive at a daily rate of £1,200 to £1,500 per day, costing an estimated £297,000 for the year.
• Appointing an external candidate on a fixed-term contract for twelve months, at a spot salary of £210,724 per year.
• Recruiting a permanent Chief Executive.
• Doing nothing.

The report noted that the Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, the commissioners appointed by the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and leaders of each political group had been consulted and had indicated their support for the recommendation.

The report stated that the costs of the appointment would be covered within existing budget provision.

Minutes From Previous Meetings

The committee was scheduled to approve the Part A minutes from the Appointments & Disciplinary Committee meetings held on:

• 16 October 2025
• 20 October 2025
• 27 October 2025
• 28 October 2025
• 29 October 2025

The Part A minutes are the public record of the meeting. Part B minutes are not available to the public because they relate to confidential matters.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2025 record that Councillor Lynne Hale was in the chair, and that apologies had been received from Executive Mayor Jason Perry. The committee moved to a Part B session to discuss the appointment to the post of Director of Assets and Repairs.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2025 record that Councillor Lynne Hale was in the chair, and that apologies had been received from Executive Mayor Jason Perry. The committee moved to a Part B session to discuss the appointment to the post of Director of Assets and Repairs, and the appointment to the post of Director Planning and Sustainable Regeneration.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 October 2025 record that Councillor Lynne Hale was in the chair, and that apologies had been received from Executive Mayor Jason Perry. The committee agreed the salary package for the post of Interim Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery, and moved to a Part B session to undertake the selection for and agree an appointment to the post.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2025 record that Councillor Lynne Hale was in the chair, and that apologies had been received from Executive Mayor Jason Perry and Councillor Jason Cummings. The committee moved to a Part B session to discuss the appointment to the post of Director of Property, Procurement and Capital.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 October 2025 record that Councillor Lynne Hale was in the chair, and that apologies had been received from Executive Mayor Jason Perry. The committee moved to a Part B session to discuss the appointment to the post of Director of Streets and Environment.