Search begins for new Highland Council chief
The search for Highland Council’s top civil servant has started in earnest after the local authority backed a national recruitment drive which could cost £12,000-plus.
A brief 15-minute special sitting of the full council was held in Inverness to agree on the process for one of the most lucrative jobs in the region’s public sector.
But a senior opposition councillor questioned the amount of cash to be spent on advertising for a successor to 59-year-old Alistair Dodds, who will retire in August, in the plum £140,000-a-year post.
Advertisements in several national newspapers will be placed at an estimated cost of about £10,000 while an external company will be employed to create online questionnaires, "executive scenarios", verbal and numerical tests, at a cost of £2,000, plus travel and accommodation costs.
That will enable candidates to be assessed before a three-day interview process.
But Independent councillor Allan Henderson baulked at the potential advertising costs.
"Like everybody else I fully understand the magnitude of the job and best practice should be followed," he said.
"The one thing that gives me a bit of concern is spending £10,000 on advertising, in this day and age there must be a cheaper way of doing it. I don’t think we need to be going overboard with the advertising."
He added there were 31 other councils in Scotland with chief executives, deputies and assistants who could all be potentially interested in the vacancy which could be flagged up to them.
Council convener Jimmy Gray said he understood the financial concerns but the authority was obliged to advertise the job as widely as possible so it was publicised beyond Scotland that the chief executive’s post was available and the best candidate was found.
"We couldn’t provide the crucial service for the people of the Highlands without our staff and without having a proper management team in place with somebody at the head of it," he said. "The role of chief executive is critically important for us."
Mr Dodds stressed the estimated cost of advertising was a "ballpark figure" and expected the final sum to be lower.
"One thing that will be done is advertising much more on the internet," said Mr Dodds, who added the special meeting was called so the search could start before the summer recess.
Previously, the full council, consisting of 80 councillors, collectively selected the chief executive but that approach is no longer viewed as "best practice."
A cross-party group of councillors will form a 10-strong appointment panel for Mr Dodds’ successor.
The post must be advertised internally and externally and the panel, chaired by Councillor Gray, will pick the successful candidate.
But long-serving Ross-shire councillor Margaret Paterson dismissed her Independent colleague’s money fears and was pleased to see an end to "the old days" when 80 members selected the chief executive.
"I think we should spend what we have to spend to get the best," she said.
"It is really important to get the best person out there."
An experienced chief executive from another council will assist during the first two days of the interview process.
The council hopes to have identified the new man or woman by the end of June.
Mr Dodds will step down in August after six years in the top job and 22 years’ service in total.
