COUNCILLORS have called for a re-think over the make-up of a panel, which they say excludes a political group from a say in appointing a new chief executive.

Three members of Richmondshire District Council want the authority to call in a decision made by a special resources committee after Dr Jack Neal resigned as interim chief executive.

The resources overview and scrutiny committee will consider the request on Wednesday (Sept 5).

Liberal Democrat Stuart Parsons, Jim Fryer from the Richmondshire Association of Independent Councillors and Independent Jill McMullon say that the current set-up excludes the Richmondshire Independent Group (RIG) from a role in the appointment.

The resources committee is proportionally balanced among the council's five political groups, but the Conservatives occupy the place allocated to the RIGs, by arrangement between the two groups.

The three councillors say that allowing only named members of the resources committee to sit on the appointments panel denies the RIGs a role in the process.

"The appointment of a chief executive is one of the most important political tasks that a council has to undertake and it is essential that all political groups should participate in the appointment process and, thus, have ownership of the actual appointment when made," said Coun McMullon.

She said that the special committee's decision also excluded two of the five political group leaders from the panel.

The vacancy was created when Dr Neal, who joined the council on a four-month contract in April, decided to leave, despite agreeing in June to stay on until the end of the year. He said that family reasons were behind his decision.

His appointment followed a reshuffle in which his predecessor, Harry Tabiner, and four other senior officers took early retirement.

The council is looking at sharing a chief executive with another authority, to save money.