The report sought the Council’s approval of the appointment of the Monitoring Officer.

All Councils are required to appoint a Monitoring Officer pursuant to s.5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. At Brentwood Borough Council, this role is usually aligned with the Director of People and Governance post. Following two rounds of external recruitment, the Council has been unable to make a permanent appointment to this post and the interim Monitoring Officer will be leaving at the end of May 2023. The Head of Paid Service has, therefore, offered an interim acting up opportunity to the managers within the People and Governance directorate.

Following an expressions of interest process Claire Mayhew, the current Deputy Monitoring Officer, is recommended to Council for the Monitoring Officer role.

Members endorsed the appointment of Mrs Mayhew as Monitoring Officer. 

The Mayor thanked Andrew Hunkin for his tenure as Monitoring Officer. 

Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Russell SECONDED the recommendations in the report and by a show of hands, this was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:

That the appointment as Monitoring Officer of Claire Mayhew be confirmed.

Reason for recommendation

The Council is legally required to appoint a Monitoring Officer. The roles is currently being filled by an interim appointment which will end on 31 May 2023. Therefore, the Council needs to make a new appointment at the Annual Council meeting to ensure that there is a successor in place.