MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to engage an “executive search consultant” to run the process for the recruitment of a permanent CEO, but proposed changes to reduce the number councillors involved in the appointment has been rejected by councillors.
The option presented to the councillors at last Tuesday’s meeting (3 December) was to reduce the number of councillors that sit on the “Chief Executive Officer Employment and Remuneration Committee” from all 11 councillors to just four; the mayor, deputy mayor, and two appointed councillors, changed yearly on a rotating basis. The rationale for the change was to streamline the process to more efficiently appoint a new shire CEO.
Cr Gill was the first to speak out against the proposed change. “We have never, on the Mornington Peninsula, singled out certain councillors with the power to make most of the decisions,” said Gill. “What I believe is the intention is for four people to do a lot of the work in terms of the process and then come back for endorsement. “I think that this time it’s not appropriate. It’s a new council, new councillors, and I think they should all be treated equally and have the opportunity to have a say right through the process. “I see that there’s other views and efficiency is one of them. The other side of efficiency is transparency and accountability to our electors.”
Cr Ranken disagreed, speaking in favour of the motion, stating there would be “four people there representing the council on the committee and I think it would make it quicker and easier. It still comes back to the formal council to be ratified and voted on”. “We need to be able to get on board and fill the role fairly quickly and with having 11 around the table throughout the whole process will certainly slow it down.”
Cr Roper said that whether there are four on the committee, or 11, it is still the same number of meetings either way, and therefore not an issue of time or efficiency.
Cr Batty stated “The recommendation is to appoint the executive search consultant, not the CEO”. “I would have thought that to give us an opportunity, because of time, that we should allow representatives to appoint an executive search consultant, and then they would present in front of the 11 the proposed candidates for the new CEO.”
Cr Pingiaro stated he believed both sides had valid arguments, and that the most important aspect was to make a decision so that council could “move forward quickly and cohesively”.
Cr Patton said “Given that we have 11 councillors at most meetings to decide on a whole range of matters, from minor planning matters all the way to multi-million dollar projects, I don’t see why we wouldn’t have 11 councillors there to oversee and decide on the most important decision that we can make”.
Cr Gill said “This is a way to divide this council. I don’t think this is necessary, and I feel there’s a number of councillors who will feel that they’re not representing their community fully if this goes ahead”. When put to the vote, nine councillors voted that all 11 councillors should make up the “Chief Executive Officer Employment and Remuneration Committee”, and an “executive Search Consultant” should be engaged. Crs Batty and Rankin voted against the motion.
First published in the Mornington News – 10 December 2024
