2021-05-11 Services & Organisation Committee Meeting Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          11 MAY 2021


      On a personal basis, I reach the milestone age of 60 just after my retirement and it is time to
       give time to my family and to stop and smell the roses.
      I have been incredibly fortunate to work with 3 Mayors and 12 different Councillors since de-
       amalgamation. They have been very supportive of me as CEO.
      This Council has been blessed to have such strong Executive and Management Teams which
       I have been privileged to lead.
      And of course, I have been CEO of magnificent staff who provide “above and beyond” service
       to our community every day. The staff at our Council care deeply about our community and
       have a passion for what they do.

I am also aware that there is sometimes speculation about “hidden reasons” for a CEO deciding to
leave their role. To make it abundantly clear, my decision to retire next year is not related to any
reason other than those identified in this report and my attached letter. Specifically, it is not related
to the additional workload associated with leading through the Covid period, it is not related to the
change in Council at the last election nor is it related to any other issue. It is simply time for me to
ride into the sunset satisfied that I have contributed positively to the Noosa Council and Noosa
community.

2.     What next?

By giving Council my advice at this time, it provides Council with almost 9 months to plan for the
CEO changeover.

My intention in providing ample notice is to ensure that the transition process is as smooth as
possible, allows Council plenty of time to undertake a comprehensive recruitment process and finally,
allows for a handover period between the outgoing CEO and the incoming CEO.

For those Councillors who have not been through a CEO recruitment process before, this part of the
report sets out how that process works.

Ultimately, it is the Council (by Council resolution) who appoints the CEO. That is anticipated to
occur in in late 2021 to allow for a smooth transition process.

For the recruitment of a CEO, it is normal to engage the services of a specialist recruitment agency
to help facilitate the recruitment process. This will be undertaken by the Director of Executive
Services in consultation with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. While our Council doesn’t normally use
recruitment firms for any vacant positions, it is appropriate in this circumstance to employ such an
agency to assist. The recruitment agency should be in place by the end of June.

After that time, the usual process will apply – advertising, screening, shortlisting, interviewing and
referee checks. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor will have oversight of the process and, of course, will
engage with Councillors throughout that process. As outlined above, it is the Council that makes the
final decision based on the recommendation from the panel.

Previous Council Consideration
Nil.

Finance
It will cost approximately $20,000 - $25,000 to have a recruitment agent assist in facilitating the CEO
recruitment process. This funding can be allocated during BR1 as part of the normal budget revision
process.




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