Standards Committee Independent Members
Employer: Brent Council
Salary range: £423 p.a. inc. Contract: Fixed term (2 years
subject to confirmation by Full Council each year) Hours of work: As and when
required Location: Civic Centre and other locations from time to time
At the Heart of Brent
Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the
iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and
outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic,
environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all
who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has
created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work
here. The council is pursuing a far-reaching transformation agenda that
better meets the needs of our community so it is an exciting time to join us.
The Post
Brent Council is seeking to strengthen its corporate
governance arrangements by appointing two additional Independent Members to its
Standards Committee. The Council’s Standards Committee is responsible for
promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by members (including
co-opted members) of Brent Council. In particular, the Standards Committee has
a key role to play in monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Brent
Council Members’ Code of Conduct which sets the standards of conduct expected
of its members when they act in an official capacity.
The Person
The successful candidates will have a keen interest in
standards in public life and a wish to serve the local community and uphold
local democracy. They will have sound decision making skills and be able to
maintain independence, impartiality and integrity at all times. Closing
Date: 8 May 2016 (23:59) Assessment & Interview Date: w/c 16 May
2016
Additional Information
Brent Council values the diversity of its community and
aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourage
applications from all sections of the community. Applications are
particularly welcome from people with a disability as they are under
represented across the council.
All organisations and individuals who work with children and
young people, or are involved in providing services for them have a duty to
safeguard and promote their welfare. We are committed to safer
recruitment and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young
people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Before you join Brent Council, you will need to provide
your National Insurance (NI) number and undergo a Home Office Standard I.D.
check. Please note CVs will not be considered as part of your
application for this position. More Info: Job Description
Click Here For Disabled Applicants
Do you have to fill in a job application form, and be interviewed for, any other Independent Member position on a Brent Council committee, such as Scrutiny?
ReplyDeleteIn order to find out more about the job description etc., I used the LINK at the top of this blog article. The documents included a copy of the application form, which when you have filled it in tells you:
'Please return this application form by ?? April 2016 addressed to:
'
Very (un)helpful to anyone who would actually like to apply in writing, rather than online!
The idea to have two additional Independent Members of Standards Committee (there is currently a single, non-voting, Independent Member) came "out of the blue" in a report by the Monitoring Officer to the Standards Committee meeting on 21 March. I made the following comment about this suggestion at the time:
'Fiona Alderman makes a very good case for more Independent Members on the committee:
"The role of the Independent Member strengthens the Council’s corporate governance arrangements and, in particular, adds greater objectivity and legitimacy to decision making. Independent Members provide an independent and external perspective on Member conduct and standards issues in relation to setting standards for Members’ conduct and enforcing those standards in the event of a complaint."
However, under our Monitoring Officer's current practices, having additional Independent Members would be "window dressing", as for the past two years no complaints against Members have actually been referred to Standards Committee!'
Philip.