Recruitment of New Independent Members for the Borough of Poole Standards Committee: Report

AGENDA ITEM 4

BOROUGH OF POOLE

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

24TH JANUARY 2007

RECRUITMENT OF NEW INDEPENDENT MEMBERS FOR THE BOROUGH OF POOLE STANDARDS COMMITTEE: REPORT BY HEAD OF LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES AND MONITORING OFFICER

1.0 PURPOSE OF REPORT

2.0To discuss and make recommendations with regard to the recruitment of new members of the Standards Committee from May 2007.

2.0 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 Members are recommended to agree the arrangements set out in this Report.

3.0 BACKGROUND

3.1The Standards Committee regulations require that each principal Authority appoints a Standards Committee where at least 25% or more of the Members are independent of the Authority. Certain Authorities which cover Parish and Town Councils also have to have Independent Members representing those groups, but we in Poole do not at present have to concern ourselves with this.

3.2 Poole’s constitution requires that the makeup of the Standards Committee comprises two elected Members (currently one from each political group) and four Independent Members. The Committee is Chaired by an Independent Member.

3.3 At the last meeting of the Standards Committee, recommendations were accepted to alter the Term of Office for Independent Members to allow for retirement by rotation. As a result, there will be two vacancies for Independent Members on the Standards Committee in May 2007. This Report outlines the proposed recruitment process which can be undertaken as the new Council comes into office.

4.1 RECRUITMENT PROCESS

4.2We wish to have a recruitment process in place that attracts the best and widest field of candidates. A successful recruitment process would result in a significant number of candidates putting their names forward and those candidates would be from a diverse range of backgrounds that represent the nature of the community in Poole.

4.3It is proposed to advertise the vacancies in the local paper together with other community based publications, including Poole News and on the Council’s Web site. Details would also be sent to other community and residents’ associations, together with places where people may gather such as Doctor Surgeries, community centres and the Faith community networks.

4.4It is proposed that a clear job description and person specification will be used.

4.5In an effort to reach all sections of the community, Dorset Council for Racial Equality will be consulted, together with the Local Asian Network.

4.6It is hoped to take advantage of publicising and explaining the role of an Independent Member on the new Community Radio Station ‘Hope FM” which unfortunately does not commence broadcasting until May 2007, so could not be used for recruitment purposes.

5.0SHORTLISTING AND SELECTION

5.1 It is proposed that a formal short listing and selection procedure be adopted involving the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer and the Chair of the Borough of Poole Local Strategic Partnership. Group Leaders would be consulted for observations on any shortlist as before.

5.2 In the optimistic assumption that a significant response is received, then the Group will meet to shortlist candidates for interview and then on a separate occasion meet to interview the short listed candidates with a view to selecting two for recommendation to Full Council. The aim would be to complete the process in time for recommendation to Full Council on the 10th April 2007.

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

6.1These proposals should ensure that a robust procedure is adopted for the selection of new Independent Members for the Borough of Poole Standards Committee.

T M Martin

Head of Legal and Democratic Services

\\artemis\democratic\committeeminutes\report\Standards Committee\SC240120073 Recruitment of New Independent Members.doc