Agenda item

The Chairman of the Chief Officer Employment Committee presented the report which sought to appoint Mr Bill Cullen as the interim appointment for the Statutory role of Head of Paid Service, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer on the retirement of the current Chief Executive. 

The appointment would be via a shared service arrangement through a Section 113 Agreement, which was a legal agreement and allowed either party to withdraw from the arrangement providing reasonable notice.  

The shared arrangement would be on a 2/3 days per week basis during which Mr Cullen would spend time each week in the Guildhall office building in addition to working on a virtual basis as required. 

Mr Cullen had met with the Chief Officer Employment Committee, which had included three of the Council’s Group Leaders and stood recommended for appointment on the basis set out in the report.

In response to a Member’s question around whether the appointment was based on a 2 or 3 day basis, Officers confirmed it would be a combination dependent on need.

With no further questions posed and with the recommendation having been proposed and seconded, on being put to the vote, it was: -

RESOLVED that the recommendation from the Chief Officer Employment Committee be accepted and Bill Cullen be formally appointed as Head of Paid Service, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer from 1^st July 2025 on an interim basis.

Before moving to the next item of business, the Chairman, given this was the Head of Paid Service’s last Full Council meeting before retiring, provided opportunity for him to address all Members during which he paid tribute to Officers and Members alike.  He spoke of his pride at being the Chief Executive for the last five and half years, having started with the Authority in 2014.

He spoke of his commitment and dedication to West Lindsey and how it would be sometime before he broke the habit of waking and wondering how all the Council’s services and programmes are progressing.

Acknowledging success was a team effort he thanked all four Leaders under whom he had worked, learned something from each of them.

Members past and present were thanked for the support that had shown Mr Knowles over his tenure. As were Mr Knowle’s management Team Officers past and present, Alan Robinson, Tracy Bircumshaw and Ady Selby, Sally, Nova, Lisa and Peter, Rachael Hughes and Ellen King.

He spoke of the special nature of all the Team Managers at West Lindsey and the outstanding contribution they made to the organisation and the district.

Mr Knowles outlined a number of key achievements over the past 6 years, which would leave a lasting impact on the district including a new depot, a crematorium and a new leisure centre in Market Rasen. He spoke of particularly challenging times when the Council had performed well and continued to deliver providing a wide-ranging number of grants across the district all despite Covid 19 and a cost-of-living crisis and the work to safeguard the future of ex RAF Scampton.

Finally, he reflected on how as a small District, the Authority had been able to

deliver at such a pace over the last six years and referenced on the theory of psychological safety in high performing organisations.

A shared sense of permission for candour. A belief that it’s ok to take risks that come with asking questions and admitting mistakes, making sure everyone’s opinion mattered, and all understood the risk appetite of both Members and Officers, an environment fostered and encouraged over the last 11 years.

In return Members from across the political spectrum paid return tribute to Mr Knowles, for his help and guidance, speaking of his response to Covid enabling Council services to continue with little impact on the customer, of his honourable nature and his flashy suits.

The tributes concluded with a round of applause.

Note:-      The interim Section 151 Officer left the Chamber before discussion on the following item of business, given he was the person named in the report as the proposed appointee.