Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest from Members

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Council, the Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive

The Chairman of the Council advised that she had sent congratulations to the following residents who had been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List and made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE):

·        Mr. Brian Doick from Steyning, for services to the National Association for Park Home Residents;

·        Mr. Richard Groom from Shipley, for services to the community particularly Disabled Young People; and

·        Mr. Robert Pooley from Steyning, for services to Business and Aviation.

To receive the minutes of the Employment Committee of 20^th January 2016 and, if approved, to adopt any recommendations contained therein

The Minutes of the meeting of the Employment Committee of 20^th January 2016 were received and it was:

            RESOLVED

That Jane Eaton be offered the appointment of Director of Corporate Resources and Chief Finance (s151) Officer, with effect from a date to be agreed.

Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires every local authority to make arrangements for the proper administration of their financial affairs and requires one officer to be nominated to take responsibility for the administration of those affairs. The Section 151 officer must be a qualified accountant belonging to one of the recognised chartered accountancy bodies. The Section 151 officer has a number of statutory duties, including the duty to report any unlawful financial activity involving the authority (past, present or proposed) or failure to set or keep to a balanced budget. The Section 151 officer also has a number of statutory powers in order to allow this role to be carried out, such as the right to insist that the local authority makes sufficient financial provision for the cost of internal audit.

Katharine Eberhart, Director of Corporate Resources is the Council’s s151 officer and leaves at the end of the month to take up her new role as Director of Finance with West Sussex County Council. Pending the commencement of duties by the new Director it will be necessary to appoint an interim s151 officer. Subject to Council’s agreement, the interim role has been offered to Peter Stuart, Head of Finance and HR at Mid Sussex District Council.

Council is therefore Recommended to appoint Peter Stuart, Head of Finance and HR at Mid Sussex District Council as the interim s151 officer for Horsham District Council until the commencement of duties by the new Director of Corporate Resources.

Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972 required every local authority to make arrangements for the proper administration of their financial affairs and required one officer to be nominated to take responsibility for the administration of those affairs.  The Section 151 officer had to be a qualified accountant belonging to one of the recognised chartered accountancy bodies.  The Section 151 officer had a number of statutory duties, including the duty to report any unlawful financial activity involving the authority (past, present or proposed) or failure to set or keep to a balanced budget.  The Section 151 officer also had a number of statutory powers in order to allow this role to be carried out, such as the right to insist that the local authority made sufficient financial provision for the cost of internal audit.

Katharine Eberhart, Director of Corporate Resources was the Council’s s151 officer and would be leaving at the end of January 2016 to take up a new role as Director of Finance with West Sussex County Council.  Pending the commencement of duties by the new Director it would therefore be necessary to appoint an interim s151 officer.

            RESOLVED

That Peter Stuart, Head of Finance and HR at Mid Sussex District Council be appointed as the interim s151 officer for Horsham District Council until the commencement of duties by the new Director of Corporate Resources.

To consider matters certified by the Chairman as urgent

There were no urgent matters to be considered.