We Are Passionate About Our Communities and the Services We Deliver

Applicant Briefing Pack

Location / Malton, North Yorkshire
Based at / Ryedale House
Contents / Section
About Ryedale District / 1
Applying and Completing the Application Form / 2
Ryedale District Council Operating Model / 3
PROUD Behavioural Framework / 4
After the Closing Date / 5
Appointment Details and STARR Interview Process / 6
Employee Benefits / 7
1. About Ryedale District
Ryedale lies between York and the heritage coastline of North Yorkshire. The North York Moors form the northern border of the District and the Yorkshire Wolds the southern limit. Ryedale is a diverse and beautiful area of spectacular scenery, bustling market towns, dale and hill farms and picturesque villages.
Ryedale takes its name from the River Rye which, together with the River Derwent, forms much of the geographical character of the District. Both rivers rise in the North Yorkshire Moors and join near Malton and Norton, eventually draining into the Humber.
Ryedale District Council provides services for some 52,900 residents, local businesses and the many visitors to the area. The District covers an area of 575 square miles (151,659 hectares) and is one of the seven Districts that make up North Yorkshire.
The District consists of 20 District Wards, 85 Parish and 5 Town Councils and 30 Parish Meetings. There are 30 democratically elected Councillors on Ryedale District Council who represent the diverse and wide geographic spread of the residents of the District.
2. Applying/Completing the Application Form
Your application form plays a vital role in the selection process. The information provided will determine whether or not you are shortlisted for assessment and acts as the technical interview part of the selection process. Applications are anonymously and individually assessed by the short listing panel. Consequently, it is important that you clearly evidenceall the required criteria given in the job description, person specification and/or context statement. It is vital that you cover as much skill, experience, knowledge and technical know-how in detail. If you can, give examples of what you needed to do, how you did it and what the outcome was (whether this is positive or negative).
We cannot make any assumptions about you or your abilities. If you do not tell us, we do not know.
Before you begin to complete your application form:
Read the advert, job description, job context/person specification
Read the application form carefully before you write anything. It may help to make some rough notes to organise your thoughts.
Please feel free to contact the named person on the advertisement for further information or clarification about the vacancy.
We do not accept CV's in place of or in support of applications for employment. You need to fully complete the application form. If you attach your CV to your application form it will disregarded and sections where you may state "please see CV" (or similar) will not be considered, which could mean you reduce your chance of being shortlisted for interview.
The Council selects using the STARR assessment process (see 'After The Closing Date') therefore your application form is your gateway into starting to be considered for appointment.
Once you are happy to submit your application form it should be emailed to
We acknowledge receipt of all mail to this inbox by return of email.
In the unlikely event of needing to submit a hard copy application form this should be posted to the address on the back of the application form. Unfortunately we are not able to confirm receipt of posted application forms unless you telephone the Council on 01653 600666 or email

4. Ryedale District Council PROUD Behavioural Framework

PASSION

We are passionate about our communities and the services we deliver

Negative behavioural indicators / Positive behavioural indicators
Indifferent or negative towards customer needs and
delivering a service to our community / Passionate about delivering solutions and services
to meet customer needs
Only does the bare minimum for customers; is
dismissive of the needs of others / Always wants to do right by others; goes over and
beyond to help
Is passive and uninterested in projects that fall outside routine tasks and/or direct role
responsibilities / Excited by the opportunity to get involved with new projects and expanding his/her knowledge
Is frequently negative and pessimistic in attitude and/or at times inappropriately aggressive and
intimidating / Makes a strong impression on others by consistently displaying a positive and upbeat attitude; enthuses
others
Appears disengaged from the community; does not
act in a way that supports Ryedale / Speaks proudly of the community he/she serves,
wanting to do what matters for Ryedale
Conveys low levels of enthusiasm; acts unhelpful
and obstructive / Consistently projects energy, drive and
determination;alwaystakinga‘can-‐do’approach
Flat, monotone delivery when discussing the council; fails to engage and excite audience / Represents the council with enthusiasm, passion and conviction, demonstrated in both what they say
and how they say it’.
Prefers to maintain status quo, avoids change and stifles creativity / Seeks opportunities for innovation and positive change to achieve continues improvement;
proactively challenges the status quo
Shows resistance and reluctant to adapt to new
ways of working; slow to adapt to new ways of working / Agile and receptive to change; quickly adapts to new ways of working
Rarely questions the effectiveness or efficiency in which things are done / Eager to implement positive change; actively seeking opportunities to make a difference
Elevated Behaviours
Unabletothinkout-‐sidethebox;failstogenerate new ways of working / Pushes boundaries and traditional thinking by taking a creative approach
Allows resistance to change to go unaddressed and/orenforceschangebeforegainingbuy-‐infrom
others / Tackles resistance to change by selling the benefits of change and creating a common purpose

RESPECT

We value every individual, respecting people for who they are and for their unique knowledge, skills and experience recognising they are part of our strength

Negative behavioural indicators / Positive behavioural indicators
Frequently unparticipative and/or only shows concernforself-‐relatedissues(e.g.notengaging
during meetings) / Proactively engages in conversations, demonstrating genuine interests in others
Does not carry out work as instructed by
management; fails to comply with authority / Shows respect for management decisions; listens to
and acts according to their requests
Shows resistance to being managed; ignores
managerial directives / Receptivetobeingline-‐managedandco-‐operates
willingly
Shows tactlessness in communications / Demonstrates diplomacy within communications
Undermines or is obstructive of decisions that
he/she disapproves of / Is constructive when challenging others’ ideas or
decisions
Is unfriendly and abrasive at times; shows frustrations or annoyance when approached by
others / Polite and professional at all times; comes across as well-‐manneredandapproachable
Appears disinterested and/or responds adversely to
others’ views when different from themselves / Actively seeks others ideas or opinions; aspires to
learn from others’ experiences
Shows disregard towards deadlines and
commitments made (e.g. late to attend meeting) / Takes care to always follow through with agreed
commitments
Responds negatively to feedback; becomes defensive and/or simply ignores constructive
criticism / Seeks to understand criticism, sees feedback as an opportunity to learn and develop
Elevated behaviours
Allows unacceptable performance/ behaviours of staff to continue without challenge or improvement / Confidentlytacklesissuesofnon-‐compliancewith authority; ensures all staff follow instructions
Acts overly hierarchal and takes a distance from
others;failstogethands-‐onevenwhenneeded / Acts as a role model, gets stuck in to help support
team regardless of task at hand
Offers no recognition of contributions by others;
fails to value others’ inputs / Empowers others by encouraging them to
contribute to the best of their abilities

OPENNESS

We are open and honest in our relationships and in our communications

Negative behavioural indicators / Positive behavioural indicators
Pays little or no attention to what others say; speaks
more than listens / Listensandtakeson-‐boardwhatothershavetosay
Keeps information to self and/or is selective about
sharing information with others / Openly shares relevant information with others to
help support organisational goals
Openly shares private and sensitive information
inappropriately with others / Acts with integrity; keeps confidential and sensitive
information to self
Is impersonal or avoids direct communication with
others (e.g. only uses emails or text to communicate) / Takes a personal approach to communicating with
others;communicatesdirectly,verballyorface-‐to-‐ face
Fails to consider the impact of their approach/ style on others; adopts the same approach regardless of
others’ styles / Show awareness of others’ ways of working and adapts style to suit situations
Appears to have ulterior motives when dealing with
others; is not forthcoming with the truth / Communicates authentically with all colleagues
irrespective of position
Becomes nervous or avoids openly expressing own opinions or debating issues, and/or debates issues
in an obstructive manner / Confidently and honestly expresses own opinions; opentodebateissuesinanon-‐confrontational
manner
Elevated behaviours
Perceives challenge from others as criticism and shuts it down if possible / Champions openness in communication through own approach
Discourages involvement of others in own department’splanningordecision-‐making / Encourages direct and constructive challenge from peers and staff; actively recognises their
contributions
Provides unconstructive and overly negative feedback; unwilling to provide feedback to help
others learn / Provides negative/ developmental feedback when necessary, in an encouraging and constructive
manner

UNITY

We will work as one organisation

Negative behavioural indicators / Positive behavioural indicators
Is reluctant to work outside own area; does not
recognise the need to involve others / Realises the importance of and strongly advocates
thevalueofcross-‐functionalworking
Works in silo and does not interact with others to
solve issues / Works collaboratively with others across the
organisation
Fails to recognise the wider impact of actions on the
organisation / Considers the impact of actions on other areas and
creates an inclusive approach to change
Spends little or no time engaging with others,
prefers to work in isolation / Proactively builds and maintains effective
relationships across the wider organisation
Shows little interest in the wider context outside
their immediate area / Understands how own role links with and impacts
others across the organisation
Keeps expertise to self, unwilling to support areas
outside own area / Shares resources and knowledge to help other areas
of the organisation
Elevated behaviours
Fails to take advantage of networks or relationships with others; seeks little support from colleagues
with other expertise / Uses networks and relationships with others in order to meet objectives
Takes actions without accounting for the bigger
picture and future direction of the organisation / Actively seeks to understand priorities and direction
of other areas of the organisation
Focuses only on own work at the expense of the wider organisational priorities / Balances the needs of own area with that of other functions across the organisation

DECISIVE

We are willing to make brave decisions, to take on big challenges and see them through

Negative behavioural indicators / Positive behavioural indicators
Shies away from making decisions and leaves it to
others to make decisions / Willing and confident to make decisions; can explain
the rationale behind their decision making
Procrastinates by trying to find the ‘perfect’
solution; delays finding a workable solution / Thinks on his/her feet to quickly identify a suitable
solution
Overcomplicates issues; fails to use relevant
information to support their thinking / Applies common sense, logical thinking and relevant
information when seeking a solution
Makes decisions based on little or no evidence; tackles problems subjectively and in an
unstructured manner / Makes decisions based on evidence; adopts a methodical and objective approach to problem
solving
Applies the same solution to different situations without considering the effectiveness of the
solution / Considers a range of options (old and new) before making a decision; always seeks the most effective
solution
Only interested in parts of the solution; leaves it to
others to follow through / Sees their solutions through to completion
Slow to reprioritise; struggles to complete multiple
tasks / Responds quickly to changing priorities/ unexpected
issues
Elevated behaviours
Shows little commercial awareness when making
decisions / Applies commercial reasoning and makes cost
effective decisions
Fixated on their own solution even when better
options are presented / Willing to change their position / recommendation
in light of further information
Takes excessive risks or avoids risks; fails to manage
risks when making decisions / Makes decisions based on risk management, rather
than risk avoidance
Puts off or avoids making difficult or unpopular decisions; blames bureaucracy for their lack of
decision making / Stands by unpopular decisions to achieve the desired outcome
Defers responsibility for decisions they have made / Takes responsibility for decisions/ recommendations they have made
5. After The Closing Date
Due to the high number of applications that are normally received if you do not hear from Ryedale District Council within 14 days of the closing date please assume you have not been successful in being invited for interview. However, we hope that this does not deter you from applying for future vacancies with the Council.
It is also not possible to offer feedback to applicants who are not invited for interview. This also supports an open, fair and transparent process whilst eliminating the risk of any perception that an individual may have been given an unfair advantage, should they apply in the future.
There may be times when interview dates are set in the advertisement due to commitments the interview panel may have. For that reason it may not be possible to make alternative arrangements for an individual’s personal circumstance.
6. Appointment Details and STARR Interview Process
Ryedale District Council appoints using the STARR(Situation or Task; Action; Result; Review) format. This enables the gathering of all relevant information from the candidate in relation to the PROUD Behavioural framework.
This selection process is in two parts of approx one hour each, following on from one another with a break in-between. It is designed to assess candidates against all the PROUD behaviours needed to be successful at the Council. Candidates invited for interview should allow themselves up to 2½ hours to enable them to participate fully.
Once offered the position and all clearances have been completed satisfactorily, as a local government employer, you will be employed under NJC Terms and Conditions. We are able to offer a comprehensive reward package consisting of competitive pay, generous annual leave in addition to time for 8 public and bank holidays per annual leave year, employee assistance programme and more. The annual leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March, and allocated as follows:
Grade / 0 to 5 years / + 5 years
Grades G to L / 23 / 28
Grade F / 25 / 28
Grade C to E / 27 / 30
Leadership Team / 30 / 33
7. Employee Benefits
Everyone Active Offers
Discounts are available for Ryedale staff at the two swimming pools in Malton and Pickering (swimming only). From time to time, other health practitioners may offer services at Ryedale House, such as massage, yoga and pilates.
Free Car Parking
Free car parking is available on site for all employees.
Home Working
If it is appropriate to the duties of the post and subject to agreement, working at home for some of the time may be supported.
Canteen Facilities
Light lunches and snacks are available at Ryedale House on a subsidised basis.
Health Care Scheme
There are several not-for-profit health schemes administered by the Council for all employees, offering significant benefits on various forms of medical treatment.
Childcare Vouchers
The Council usesComputershareVoucher Servicesto provide childcare vouchers for all staff paying National Insurance who pay for childcare. These vouchers provide a significant discount on almost all childcare costs up to the age of 16.
Ryedale Counselling Service
Ryedale Council provides a free counselling service to all its employees. It is run through Ryedale Community Counselling and is completely confidential to use.
Occupational Health Services
An Occupational Health Adviser attends Ryedale House on a monthly basis to advise on absence management and other health issues.
Family Friendly Leave
There are a number of policies at Ryedale District Council designed to help families balance work and domestic commitments.
Learning and Development
Staff at all levels are encouraged to learn and develop. This is facilitated through a variety of means such as mentoring programmes, development centres, secondments and internal and external training courses. Longer term professional training courses are also encouraged.
Equal Opportunities
Ryedale District Council is committed to achieving fairness andequality in employment. The aim of our policy is to ensure that no employee, or potential employee, receives less favourable treatment or is disadvantaged on the grounds of disability, race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin, sex, marital status, age, sexual orientation, religious belief or any other unjustifiable cause not specified.
Local Government Pension Scheme
The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a statutory scheme for local authority employees, operated under regulations issued by the Central Government Department, Communities and Local Government. The Scheme is administered on a local basis and North Yorkshire County Council is responsible for the Scheme within the geographical areas of North Yorkshire and the City of York.
From 1 April 2014 this is now a career average/CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings) scheme.
RDC employees are automatically enrolled into the LGPS, one of the few remaining defined-benefit pensions schemes in the UK. There are many benefits to the LGPS, which include:

On average RDC pays over twice as much as staff towards each pension;
You get tax relief on all your contributions;
You can take a tax free lump sum payment on retirement;
Each year you will build up a pension based on your pay and inflation increases will be added to ensure that yourpension keeps up;
Protection should you have to retire early due to ill health;
Life cover of 3 times your pay from the first day you join the scheme;
Dependants benefits payable if you die so your pension does not die with you; and
There are no hidden costs, you pay a % of your salary.

Recognised Union
The Council recognises the trade union UNISON which represents staff, and offers local and national benefits to members.