MD3143 Appointment of an Interim Chief Finance Officer

1.1.    Under the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (“GLA Act”), the GLA is required to have three statutory officers: a Head of Paid Service, a Chief Finance Officer and a Monitoring Officer. 
1.2.    The Chief Finance Officer exercises the statutory functions set out for that role in the GLA Act and other applicable legislation relating to GLA financial matters. The role has specific statutory functions, is politically restricted under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and is an appointment to be made on merit. 
1.3.    As one of the GLA’s statutory officer roles, the Chief Finance Officer post has special employment status within the Authority. Appointments to the post must be made, and the terms and conditions determined, by the Mayor and the London Assembly acting jointly.
1.4.    The GLA’s Executive Director of Resources, who is also the GLA’s statutory Chief Finance Officer, is temporarily absent from work and therefore unavailable to perform his duties. 
1.5.    The GLA’s Statutory Officer Protocol sets out the process to be followed when appointing any of the three statutory officers. It does not specifically address the process to be followed where an interim appointment is required.
1.6.    On this occasion, in the interests of expediency, the Mayor – jointly with the London Assembly – is asked to make an appointment on the recommendation of the Chief Officer in line with paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of the Statutory Officer Protocol, which allows the Chief Finance Officer function to be allocated to an existing post occupied by an existing member of staff without following an external recruitment and selection process where there is only one suitable expression of interest. 
1.7.    The London Assembly approved the appointment at its meeting on 8 June 2023.

2.1.    The objective and outcome of this decision is to comply with section 127 of the GLA Act, which states that:
“(2) Every relevant authority  – 
(a) shall make arrangements for the proper administration of its financial affairs; and
(b) shall secure that one of its officers (its Chief Finance Officer) has responsibility for the administration of those affairs.”

2.2.    In the interests of continuity, it is proposed that this appointment would take place with immediate effect and until no longer required.

3.1.    A fair internal expression of interest process was held in line with the good practice equality principles and best practice.  

Following an internal expression of interest process, it is recommended that Enver Enver be appointed as the GLA’s interim Chief Finance Officer with immediate effect and until no longer required. Enver Enver would undertake this role in addition to his current substantive role as the GLA’s Assistant Director, Group Finance and Performance. 
4.2    Two further interim appointments are being made by the Chief Officer to cover the other responsibilities of the Executive Director of Resources in the interim – specifically the line management of the most senior staff in the Technology Group and Facilities Management. Together these two appointments will cover the responsibilities of the Executive Director of Resources set out in Appendix 1 not confined by law to the Chief Finance Officer. The authorities delegated to the Executive Director of Resources under Standing Orders, and other documents that constitute the GLA’s Corporate Governance Framework, will be allocated in the interim to the interim Chief Finance Officer and the interim managers for the Technology Group and Facilities Management, as appropriate. 
4.3    In taking on the Chief Finance Officer responsibilities of this job description, Enver Enver will be responsible to the Mayor and the Assembly under Section 127 of the GLA Act 1999 and other applicable legislation for the proper administration of the GLA’s financial affairs and specifically for maintaining effective governance and financial management to ensure that the GLA operates sustainably in the long-term. He will also be responsible to the Chief Officer for the line management of the finance function.  Enver Enver will continue to be paid for his current substantive role on standard GLA terms and conditions. For the duration of this interim appointment, Enver Enver will also be subject to the specific additional terms and conditions set out at Appendices 2 and 3 of the Statutory Officer Protocol. 

4.4    There are no conflicts of interest to note for any of the officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form. 

5.1.    Enver Enver will be paid a 10 per cent uplift on his current salary for these additional responsibilities – £12,713 pro-rated for the time he undertakes the post. The cost to the GLA, with standard on costs, is £15,637 per annum. 

6.1.    The legal basis for the appointment of an interim Chief Finance Officer has been set out above.  
6.2.    The Statutory Officer Protocol provides that where it is proposed to appoint a statutory officer from existing members of the Authority’s staff, and there is only one suitable candidate who expresses interest in the role, a selection process is not required.
 

Appendix 1: Executive Director, Resources / Chief Finance Officer: Job Description