4.9.4 Relationships with the chief executive, staff and other elected members
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The chief executive establishes the Office of the Mayor and formally employs its staff on behalf of the council [1]. The mayor may direct the chief executive in performing some aspects of this role; this differs from the chief executive’s usual autonomy in employing council staff [2]. As noted above, the incoming or incumbent mayor retains political staff for a particular role for the duration of that mayor’s term. The chief executive retains general staff as permanent council employees but they do not expect to remain in the same role during the next mayor’s term.
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The chief executive and chief of staff maintain an important working relationship, based on mutual recognition of their respective roles. By convention, the chief of staff independently manages the Office of the Mayor without the chief executive’s day-to-day involvement.
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Council staff have an important role in advising the office on aspects of the mayor’s role. For example, they may assist the mayor in developing plans, budgets and policies.
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Council staff will often have a direct working relationship with the office when assisting the mayor in his/her role. The scope of this working relationship operates within parameters agreed to between the chief executive and the chief of staff.
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The Office of the Mayor cannot specifically direct council staff in their day-to-day operation. It is expected the chief executive will ensure that council staff assist the office on issues directly concerning the mayor’s role.
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Other elected members do not have access to the resources or advice of the mayor’s office, except as agreed to by the mayor and chief of staff.
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The mayor’s office may facilitate this relationship, e.g. by arranging meetings or discussing the mayor’s view with elected members.
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Elected members may request information from the mayor’s office. It will generally be appropriate for the Office to cooperatively provide this information if the office judges the information relevant to the elected member’s role.