At the time of the local elections the Brent Green Party called for an independent investigation into the following issues in Brent Council:
1. Corporate Management Team officers being paid through their private companies rather than normal pay roll
2. The contractual arrangements for CMT officers and interim appointments
3. Previous employment and business connections between senior offices appointed by Brent Council on an interim basis
4. The working culture of the Human Resources department
5. Brent Council's Whistle Blowing Policy to ensure that it adequately protects whistle-blowers from harassment and retribution
To which a reader added:
6. Instances of council policies, procedures, standing orders, scheme of delegation etc being circumvented.
Secondly, there is the important issue of the appointment of Chief Executive. Christine Gilbert's acting role was extended by the Brent Executive until after the local elections on the recommendation of Fiona Ledden, Head of Legal and Procurement. The report stated:
1. Corporate Management Team officers being paid through their private companies rather than normal pay roll
2. The contractual arrangements for CMT officers and interim appointments
3. Previous employment and business connections between senior offices appointed by Brent Council on an interim basis
4. The working culture of the Human Resources department
5. Brent Council's Whistle Blowing Policy to ensure that it adequately protects whistle-blowers from harassment and retribution
To which a reader added:
6. Instances of council policies, procedures, standing orders, scheme of delegation etc being circumvented.
Secondly, there is the important issue of the appointment of Chief Executive. Christine Gilbert's acting role was extended by the Brent Executive until after the local elections on the recommendation of Fiona Ledden, Head of Legal and Procurement. The report stated:
The recruitment process for a new permanent Chief Executive should be delayed because the current recruitment process for three other CEs in London boroughs would limit the quality of candidates, to allow the restructuring of council senior management to go ahead smoothly, and to ensure continuity and reputation management over the move to the Civic Centre and the 2014 local elections.No independent investigation has been launched by the new Labour administration and no open recruitment process has started for a permanent Chief Executive.
