South Tyneside Council offers £110k salary for legal eagle whose remit includes keeping councillors in check
The new Assistant Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) will oversee councillor and staff behaviour.
Council chiefs are offering a six-figure pay packet to a tough legal eagle whose job will grant him power to keep councillors and staff in check.
For £109,418 a year, South Tyneside’s new Assistant Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) will have oversight of their behaviour and be expected to rein them in when necessary.
They will report on matters they believe are, or are likely to be illegal, or amount to maladministration within the Reform-led administration.
But as well as bringing sound professional judgement to a newly created job, they must also provide strategic leadership to the local authority’s legal and democratic services teams.
The high-calibre candidate will ‘drive and lead change, set exceptionally high standards, and motivate others to deliver the best public services’ for residents.
South Tyneside Council said the post – now being advertised - will replace that of Director of Legal and Governance, which was sitting vacant and was expunged.
It confirmed the change followed its People and Organisational Development Committee’s approved changes to senior management arrangements in July.
And it revealed the job carries a wage less than the deleted post.
Stuart Reid, Director of Business and Resources, said the change was part of ongoing work to ensure the council remained effective, financially sustainable and focused on delivering for residents.
Any appointment will also be subject to established governance processes, including approval by Full Council.
Mr Reid added: “As part of those changes, the vacant Director of Legal and Governance post was deleted and a new Assistant Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) role was created.
“Recruitment for that position is now underway.”
The advert for the job also states the successful appointee “will be skilled in working collaboratively, building relationships and be solution focussed”.
They will report to the Director of Business and Resources but as a standing member of the Corporate Leadership Team, will “play a central role in shaping strategic decision-making”.
And they will be an “influential leader in establishing effective governance across the council”.
In return, the council says it will support the applicant to “succeed to enable you to thrive in your role, enjoy a good work and life balance and “generous benefit schemes”.