Shrinking Room At The Top For Rother District Council

Rother District Council could be set to appoint a new chief executive by the beginning of next week, after restructure proposals were given the go ahead by members.

At a full council meeting on Monday (September 21), Rother councillors approved a number of proposals, which will see the authority’s two executive directors replaced with a single chief executive.   

While councillors refrained from naming those involved in light of new legal advice, members had previously confirmed it is Dr Anthony Leonard who is to leave and Malcolm Johnston who is to be retained as chief executive (initially for one year).

The changes would be expected to come into effect on Monday, September 28, subject to a severance deal for Dr Leonard being agreed by then.

Council leader Doug Oliver said the change had been first proposed by the executive directors themselves in November last year and were about ensuring ‘efficiency and a strategic single role’.

He said:

“There is a change. This administration, with a new organisation at the lead, is going to be different.

"There will be a different culture within Rother.

“Going forward with this plan for a new management structure will achieve its goals.

"This administration seeks to enhance community engagement, retain business engagement and encourage others to see Rother as the place to be.

“I personally acknowledge the tremendous support from the senior management team over the last 15/16 months and I know the new model for going forward will be well equipped to take Rother forward to achieve our goals.”

Cllr Oliver also denied allegations of predetermination, saying both executive directors were able to apply for the chief executive post.

This point appeared to have been made in response to criticism from Conservative councillors, who had previously described the proposals as a bid to ‘get rid’ of Dr Leonard for personal reasons.

This has been strongly denied by the Rother Alliance – the council’s cross-party administration.

Speaking at the meeting, Conservative group leader Carl Maynard said:

“The existing top tier of Rother District Council were very effective, very driven and had, frankly, a very useful set of talents. 

“The gentlemen at the top of the tree both were very, very diligent in what they do.

"I’m not going to mention names but I will say that they complemented each other, in that one was very much focused on projects and taking key transformational projects forward, not just for Bexhill but for the whole of the district.

“What I am concerned about and what Conservatives are concerned about is that we’ve got the necessary resilience within this authority to do the day-to-day things we need to do [and] that we can have members of staff in house that can carry out the major objectives which we have.”

Cllr Maynard went on to say the changes had been ‘rushed through behind closed doors  without proper consultation’.

Several Conservative councillors made similar points, with concerns also being raised about wider ‘transformation’ plans for the authority which may follow. 

Criticisms were also raised over how whether the council’s leadership has engaged properly with the staff’s trade unions about the impact of the proposed changes.

Alliance councillors pushed back at these criticisms, however.

Kathryn Field (Lib Dem) said:

“Every teacher will tell you, you have to say things three times before people really get the message.

"So I’ll say again; there is no malice in this.

“The suggestion was brought to us and the current incumbents of the posts have behaved with consummate professionalism and have been extremely impartial when you work with them. 

“It is not a criticism of them. The council is changing, we are changing with it and I can see only success in the future.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Sam Coleman (Lab) said:

“It is one thing for an opposition party to be critical of the administration, indeed that is their purpose that I will always defend. 

“But what we heard at licensing [on September 3] and what we’ve heard tonight is not criticism; it is propaganda.

"It is misinformation and it is time to set the record straight.

“The facts are clear that it was the executive directors who initiated this process and that this administration has worked openly with those directors and their union to make this process work.”

Following debate the proposals were approved with 22 votes in favour, 11 against and two abstentions.