Norfolk residents deserve answers on the Chief Executive recruitment process
I raised concerns about Norfolk County Council’s appointment of its new Chief Executive in the chamber. There are now further questions about the recruitment process and hospitality accepted before the vacancy was advertised.
I raised concerns about Norfolk County Council’s appointment of its new Chief Executive in the chamber. There are now further questions about the recruitment process and hospitality accepted before the vacancy was advertised.
In my Facebook statement, I set out that council records showed David Bick and Kabeer Kher accepted hospitality at 38 St Giles on 1 July, when Dennis Bacon controlled the business. The £215,000-a-year Chief Executive role was advertised the following day; Bacon was subsequently appointed.
The accounts reported about who attended the dinner differ. Residents deserve to know who was there, what was discussed and what the hospitality was for. There may be a perfectly innocent explanation, and those questions should be answered clearly.
In a second statement today, I also raised the EDP’s report that the officer leadership stakeholder panel had not recommended Bacon’s appointment. Different panels can reach different conclusions; that alone does not mean an appointment was wrong. But residents deserve to understand the recorded reasons for proceeding.
The Chief Executive must serve the whole council impartially. Scrutiny is part of our job, and confidence in this role depends on openness, fairness and decisions based on merit.