MPA staff appointments

Report: 7
Date: 21 September 2000
By: Clerk

Summary

At its first meeting the Committee noted that the full Authority had given approval to advertise the posts of Clerk, Treasurer and Director of Communications. The Committee also agreed that a recruitment exercise be implemented for the posts of Committee Administrator, Head of Secretariat and Press Officer. This report provides an update on these recruitment exercises.

A. Supporting information

1. The posts of Clerk, Treasurer and Director of Communications were advertised in the Guardian/Observer, Times/Sunday Times, Local Government Chronicle, Asian Times and The Voice. In addition, the post of Treasurer was advertised in Public Finance. The terms of the advertisements were reviewed and the advertisements placed by the TMP agency.

2. 73 information packs were requested for the post of Clerk (17 from women), 31 information packs were requested for the post of Treasurer (3 from women) and 49 information packs were requested for the post of Director of Communications (19 from women). The vast majority of applicants who indicated where they saw the vacancy cited the Guardian, Times and Local Government Chronicle.

3. 25 applications were received for the post of Clerk (9 were from women), 8 applications were received for the post of Treasurer (none from women) and 31 applications were received for the post of Director of Communications (8 from women). Of those who returned a recruitment monitoring questionnaire, two applicants indicated they were white Irish, three applicants indicated they were white of other origin, one applicant indicated she was Indian and one applicant considered he had a disability. All the other applicants, including all the applicants for the posts of Clerk and Treasurer, were white British. Those applicants who did not return a recruitment monitoring questionnaire were sent another form to complete and return.

4. The paper sift for these posts was held on 5 September. The recruitment panel for the Clerk post was Toby Harris, Rachel Whittaker, Richard Barnes, Cindy Butts and Nicholas Long and decided to call five applicants for interview. The recruitment panel for Treasurer was Toby Harris, Rachel Whittaker, Cecile Lothian, Sir John Quinton and Graham Tope and decided to call three applicants for interview. The recruitment panel for Director of Communications was Toby Harris, Rachel Whittaker, David Muir, Elizabeth Howlett and Reschard Auladin and decided to call five applicants for interview.

5. The interviews for Clerk, Treasurer and Director of Communications were scheduled for 13-15 September 2000.

6. The post of Committee Administrator was advertised in the Evening Standard, the Local Government Chronicle, the Voice and on the MPA website. This process was managed by recruitment consultants Capita Ras.

7. A total of 23 applications were received, 12 from women. 11 of the applicants did not return a recruitment monitoring questionnaire. Of those who did 8 reported that they were of British white origin; 1 that they were black, of Caribbean origin; 1 that they were black, of African origin; 1 that they were Asian, of Indian origin; and 1 that they were from some other group or groups.

8. The formal paper sift for these posts was held on 25 August. Seven individuals were invited for interview on 4 September, of whom two were women. The selection panel consisted of Nick Baker (Head of Decision Management) and Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources). Two white, male applicants were selected.

9. The posts of Head of Secretariat and Senior Information Officer were advertised in the Guardian, Local Government Chronicle, Asian Times and The Voice. The closing date for applications in both cases was 11 September 2000.

10. A total of 20 applications were received for the post of Head of Secretariat, 6 were from women. Four of the applicants did not return a recruitment monitoring questionnaire. Of those who did 15 reported that they were of British white origin and 1 that they were Asian, of Indian origin. One applicant indicated that they had a disability.

11. A total of 21 applications were received for the post of Senior Information Officer, 14 were from women. Nine applicants reported that they were of British white origin; 1 that they were white Irish, 3 applicants indicated they were white of other origin, 1 applicant that they were Asian, of Indian origin, 3 applicants that they were Asian, of Pakistani origin, 1 applicant that they were black, of African origin, 2 applicants that they were black, of British origin and 1 applicant that they were of mixed origin. One applicant indicated that they had a disability.

12. The paper sift for the Head of Secretariat has yet to be arranged. The selection panel will consist of Rachel Whittaker, Peter Edwards and Peter Martin.

13. The paper sift for the Senior Information Officer post will be held on 15 September, with interviews to be held on 25 September. The selection panel will consist of Peter Edwards, Liza McKinney and Alan Johnson.

B. Recommendation

1. That the Committee note the present position concerning the filling of vacancies for the posts of Clerk, Treasurer, Director of Communications, Committee Administrator, Head of Secretariat and Press Officer.
2. That any detailed discussion be deferred to Part II of the agenda.

C. Financial implications

The final salary details will be a matter for individual negotiation.

D. Review arrangements

MPA staffing and terms and conditions will be reviewed by April 2001.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed above or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

• Section 15 of the Police Act 1996 covers the employment of staff by a police authority.

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Alan Johnson.

For information contact:

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

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