Redland City Council’s search for a new chief executive officer was thrown into turmoil after the recruitment firm hired to run the process allegedly communicated directly with the mayor instead of council’s nominated contact officer.
A confidential council report reveals tensions escalated between council officers and recruitment agency Leading Roles during the national search for a new CEO, before the firm abruptly terminated its contract in November.
Council had engaged Leading Roles in September 2024 on a $36,850 contract to manage the recruitment process following the resignation of the previous chief executive.
However, council officers later accused the firm of failing to follow agreed communication protocols.
According to council correspondence, the recruitment company had been instructed that all communication relating to the recruitment process was to be directed through Executive Group Manager People, Culture and Organisational Performance Amanda Daly, who had been nominated as council’s primary contact.
But council alleges the firm instead communicated directly with Mayor Jos Mitchell, including sending candidate information packs to the mayor that were not initially provided to council officers.
In a letter responding to the recruiter’s termination of the contract, council stated the firm had “failed to ensure that all communication be directed” to the nominated council contact and had not ensured the mayor and deputy mayor received the same information as officers.
Council also alleged the recruiter refused a request to provide officers with a recruitment project summary that had already been sent to the mayor.
The dispute appears to have intensified on November 7, when Leading Roles emailed panel members stating it had not included Ms Daly in candidate information packs because of what it described as a potential conflict of interest.
The email indicated the matter had been raised with the mayor and suggested the decision about who received the information would ultimately rest with her.
Minutes later the mayor responded saying she would pause the recruitment process while internal clarification and external legal advice were obtained.
Council officers disputed the recruiter’s concerns, saying the composition of the recruitment panel had already been determined by councillors and that legal advice had previously been sought on the issue.
Further legal advice obtained the following day confirmed Ms Daly could remain a voting member of the recruitment panel, noting she had resigned her council position and would soon leave the organisation.
Despite attempts by officers to obtain recruitment records so the process could continue, Leading Roles informed council on November 11 that it was withdrawing its services.
Council subsequently raised concerns about the firm contacting applicants to inform them it was no longer delivering the recruitment project and inviting candidates to withdraw their applications.
Officers warned the communications risked damaging council’s reputation and potentially discouraging candidates in an already competitive executive recruitment market.
Council demanded the firm immediately provide all application files and contact details for candidates so the recruitment process could continue.
The report states council had paid the recruiter $11,166.67 for the initial stage of the work, representing roughly one-third of the total contract price.
Council later engaged executive recruitment firm Sharp & Carter to continue the search for a new chief executive, with the process supported by external legal advisers.
The confidential report was considered by councillors in closed session due to legal advice, industrial matters and issues relating to the appointment of the chief executive.
Mark Ogston from Leading Roles said he would not speak with the media about confidential processes, nor would he speak on or off the record about current or past clients.
