Extraordinary meeting of full council convened to consider interim chief executive

An extraordinary meeting of Northumberland County Council has been called next week, with members set to debate new arrangements for the role of its most senior officer.

A report will be presented to councillors asking them to consider the interim arrangements for the role of head of paid service – also known as the council’s chief executive.

The current CEO, Daljit Lally, is currently on a period of extended leave. It follows significant criticism of leadership at the authority in the Max Caller report, as well as a Section 114 notice issued as a result of “ unlawful expenditure” relating to the council’s international health consultancy business.

Read more: Meeting to determine whether any investigation needed into senior council officers is pushed back

That expenditure included a £40,000 international allowance paid to Mrs Lally in connection with the work. The report into the arrangements has yet to be published and Northumberland County Council has refused to comment further on the meeting.

A spokesman for the council said: “The council has convened extraordinary meetings of its Staff and Appointments Committee and the full County Council to meet on 27 July, to consider the interim arrangements for the role of the Head of Paid Service. Until any decision is taken and agreed, we cannot comment further on them.

“The council is conscious of the public interest in these matters but also mindful of its duties as an employer, and to respect the role of elected councillors to receive the reports and consider them first.”

The Max Caller report into governance at the council said that “effective working relationships do not exist between the CEO and the cabinet,” and that it was “common ground between the Chief Executive herself and the leaders of the political parties that the improvement journey is not one she can lead on” and that “bringing this episode to a speedy conclusion is essential.”

The Local Democracy Service has contacted Mrs Lally for comment.

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