Recruitment of staff to the MPA (amended appendices)

Report: 09
Date: 17 May 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

This report provides some background information on the recruitment process used by the MPA.   It includes details of advertising media, the response rates, panel membership and costs.

A. Recommendation

That the Human Resources Committee (HRC) note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. Two earlier reports to the Human Resources Committee in July and September 2000 covered the recruitment process for the posts of Clerk, Treasurer, Director of Communications, Head of Secretariat, Senior Press Officer and Committee Administrator.

2. The second stage of advertisements included the posts of Deputy Treasurer, Deputy Clerk, Best Value Manager, Senior Analyst, Policy Officers, Head of Committee Services (HCS), Head of Liaison Unit and Member Services (HLMS), Member Services Support Officer (MSSO), Committee Services Support Officer (CSSO), Liaison Officer, Lay Visiting (six month contract), Assistant Director Internal Audit (Systems), Assistant Director Internal Audit (Forensic) and Forensic Auditor. Unfortunately, some of the recruitment proforma have been destroyed by a temporary member of staff and it has not been possible to provide a complete monitoring record for all the posts (see Appendix 1).

3. Arising from the second stage advertisement process, the following appointments were made:

• Deputy Treasurer (Kenneth Hunt selected)
  Selection Panel: Peter Martin/Reshard Auladin/Bob Alexander (MPS)
• Deputy Clerk (first interview)
  Selection Panel: Catherine Crawford/Peter Martin/Graham Tope
• Deputy Clerk (second interview) (no appointment made)
  Selection Panel: Toby Harris/Peter Herbert/Richard Barnes/Cindy Butts/Cecile Lothian
• Best Value Manager (Derrick Norton selected)
  Selection Panel: Catherine Crawford/Reshard Auladin/Peter Martin
• Senior Analyst (Johanna Gillians selected)
  Catherine Crawford/Ian Gaskell/John Douglas (consultant)
• Policy Officer (Keith Dickinson, Alan Johnson, Julia Smith offered appointments)
  Selection Panel: Catherine Crawford/Cindy Butts/Rachel Whittaker/Peter Martin
• Head of Committee Services (Nick Baker selected)
  Selection Panel: Simon Vile/Cecile Lothian/Alan Johnson
• Head of Liaison and Member Services (Jenny Trevillion selected)
  Selection Panel: Catherine Crawford/Cindy Butts/Simon Vile
• Liaison Officer (Natasha Porter and Ruth Hastings Iqball selected)
  Selection Panel: Simon Vile/Gaye Haselden/Jenny Trevillion
• Member Services Support Officer (Yvonne Peart selected)
  Selection Panel: Simon Vile/Gaye Haselden/Jenny Trevillion
• Committee Services Support Officer (Sharon Hull selected)
  Selection Panel: Simon Vile/Gaye Haselden/Derrick Norton
• Lay Visiting (Floyd Millen selected)
  Selection Panel: Julia Smith/Cecile Lothian/Graham Spencer
• Assistant Director Internal Audit (Systems) (Surinder Purewal selected)
  Selection Panel: Peter Tickner (Director Internal Audit)/Julie Norgrove (Deputy Director Internal Audit)/Colin Balkman
• Assistant Director Internal Audit (Forensic) (Ken Gort selected)
  Selection Panel: Peter Tickner (Director Internal Audit)/Julie Norgrove (Deputy Director Internal Audit)/DAC Alan Fry
• Forensic Auditor (no appointment made)
  Selection Panel: Peter Tickner (Director Internal Audit)/Julie Norgrove (Deputy Director Internal Audit)/DAC Alan Fry

4. In arranging the interview panels for the current round of recruitment, the HR team have had to take into account the ACPO recruitment panels which are also taking place, and the availability of members. 

Throughout the various recruitment processes the HR team, officers and members have all been very alert to the need to demonstrate the Authority's commitment to the principles of equality. Officers and members are committed to diversity and are very conscious of the need for the MPA to act fairly and comply with our equal opportunities statement. It was anticipated that members would not be involved in the recruitment of more junior posts in the organisation.

5. Because information received from an individual relating to his or her ethnic origin is treated as confidential; it is not possible to provide this information on the individual members of staff selected.

6. A more detailed report, including some level of analysis, will be provided to members of the Human Resources Committee when the current round of recruitment is completed.

C. Financial implications

The total spend on recruiting for the financial year 2000/2001 is £171796. The budget allocated for the same period is £160,000. In addition, the HR team have benefited from the full time assistance of an agency temp for three months at a cost of £6,887 and the ad hoc assistance of MPA staff throughout each campaign to deal with phone calls, information packs, etc.

D. Background papers

• Recruitment Of Senior Staff For The MPA (HRC Report 21 July 2000)
• MPA Staff Appointments (HRC Report 21 September 2000)
• MPA Support Staff Pay, Grading, Terms And Conditions (HRC Report 21 December 2000)
• MPA Support Staff Pay, Grading, Terms And Conditions (CUC Report 25 January 2001)

E. Contact details

Report author: Alan Johnson, Human Resources, MPA.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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