Rother’s political leaders deny wanting to ‘get rid of’ senior officer

The comments were made at a meeting of the authority’s licensing and general purposes on Thursday (September 3), where councillors had met to discuss proposals for a senior leadership restructure.

The proposals could potentially see the council’s two executive directors – Dr Tony Leonard and Malcolm Johnston – replaced by a single chief executive.

During the meeting the proposals came in for criticism from Conservative members, who accused the Rother Alliance (formed of Independents, Labour and Liberal Democrats) of using the process as a ‘smokescreen’ to remove Dr Leonard from his post. .

Cllr Tony Ganly (Con,  Northern Rother) said: “The purpose of this recommendation as we all know is to get rid of Dr Tony Leonard. 

“In the 14 years I’ve known and worked with Dr Leonard he has never acted other than in the interests of the people of Rother. He is completely non-political and even-handed in his dealing with council matters.

“I’ve worked with and for large corporations across the world and have rarely come across a more professional, capable and sensible officer than Dr Leonard. It is quite unacceptable that he is being treated this way. 

“Sadly I think it is too late to attempt to retain him. In the light of the treatment meted out to him by certain members I imagine he would not be willing to remain at Rother District Council. His departure will be a huge loss to the people of Rother, whom he has served impeccably over the last 27 years.”   

Similar arguments were put forward by Gary Curtis,  Conservative councillor for Catsfield and Crowhurst, who described the proposals as “a smokescreen for a hidden agenda”.

But the charges were disputed by Liberal Democrat cabinet member Kathryn Field.

Responding to Cllr Ganly, Cllr Field said: “I object strongly to the language ‘get rid of’. It strongly implies a purpose which is not happening here. 

“I don’t know how much I should be saying as far as breaking confidences goes, but I will reiterate that this process has been open all the way and all parties agree and no one is being got rid of in the underhand way you imply.

“We are hoping to change the structure at the top of the organisation. It is as simple as that.”

Cllr Ganly replied: “Yeah right.”

Conservative group leader Carl Maynard also took issue with Cllr Field’s comments. He said: “This hasn’t been an open and transparent process and to suggest otherwise is a nonsense.

“The fact of the matter is that, as far as we are aware from those who attended the meetings, is that [consultants] IESE have been engaged and I don’t recall that at any point that ever going to cabinet or council.

“I don’t recall any costings of involving them in the process. I don’t recall any agreement for any funding for any legal advice that you as the Rother Alliance may have had. 

“To suggest this is open and transparent and has been so is just making a mockery of the democracy that you said you had aspired to when you were elected.”

He added: “Over 30 people have left this organisation since the alliance came to power. Staff morale is at an all time low and when we see the pincer movement of the senior staff is it any wonder at all that staff morale is as low as it is.”

Cllr Field hit back at Cllr Maynard’s arguments.

She said: “What can I say. They were, we had a budget and we agreed it.

“But I want to come back to this myth that we are trying to get rid of one of our executive directors because the original paper, which started this whole process, was put to us jointly by the two executive directors, one of whom wanted to leave.

“He volunteered to leave and said he would like to go. That is why we are in the position we are now.

“No one is getting rid of anybody we are acting on what has been put to us by the two executive directors.

“It would have happened sooner had we not been mired in a pandemic which caused us all to suspend our actions and just concentrate on the residents in the way we have been doing.”

Following further debate, the meeting briefly moved into confidential session due to discussion of the potential severance payment.

Following this the licensing and general purposes committee agreed to move ahead with the proposals and create a new chief executive role with a salary of £115,000 per annum.

It is understood that the new chief executive role will be “ringfenced”, so that only Mr Johnston and Dr Leonard could apply.

According to the council, the new chief executive would initially only be in place for a single year, with a members’ panel conducting regular performance reviews throughout this period.

The council has budgeted up to £10,000 to create a framework for these performance reviews.

At the end of one year there would be a full council vote on whether to retain the postholder or to open up competition to external candidates.

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