Non-Magistrate Member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on the Recruitment of Justices of the Peace
- Body
- Justices of the Peace
- Appointing Department
- Ministry of Justice
- Sector
- Regulation
- Location
- Most interviews take place in Birmingham, but the Committee covers the West Midlands & Warwickshire
- Skills required
- Regulation
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- Voluntary Role. Once appointed, members are entitled to claim certain limited allowances for the cost of travel, subsistence and any loss of earnings incurred in the course of committee work.
- Time Requirements
- Advisory committee members will be appointed for a nine-year term of office or, if earlier, until they reach the age of 70.
- Closing Date
- 27/09/2019 1700
- Interviews
- During October 2019. Training will be on the 28th and 29th November 2019
Vacancy Description
Status and Functions of Advisory Committees
The Lord Chancellor’s advisory committees on justices of the peace are non-departmental public bodies which carry out functions on behalf of the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice. The committees are classified as public authorities under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
To ensure a mix of judicial and non-judicial experience, advisory committees are composed of approximately two-thirds magistrates and one-third non-magistrate members.
Since 1 May 2019, there are: Twenty-four advisory committees responsible for the recruitment of magistrates; and seven regional advisory committees with responsibility for the conduct of magistrates;
The functions of recruitment advisory committees are to:
- Recruit and recommend to the Senior Presiding Judge (exercising functions on behalf of the Lord Chief Justice) candidates for appointment to the magistracy;
- Recruit and recruit and recommend to the Lord Chancellor, candidates for membership of the advisory committee;
- Consider requests for review of decisions relating to recommendations for appointment; encourage applications to the magistracy and advisory committee membership from underrepresented groups;
- consider and provide observations on the data gathered by the committee secretary as part of judicial resource exercises;
- The functions of conduct advisory committees are to:
- ensure that magistrates fulfil their obligations to sit and complete required training, and maintain the commitments given by signing the Declaration and Undertaking;
- investigate allegations of misconduct by magistrates and make recommendations to the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor in accordance with the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2014 and Justice of the Peace Rules 2016;
- consider decisions by the Family Training, Approvals, Authorisations and Appraisals Committee
- (FTAAAC) and Justices’ Training Approvals, Authorisations and Appraisals Committee (JTAAAC) where a magistrate has failed to reach the required standard and to make any formal recommendation for removal to the Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor in accordance with the Judicial Conduct (Magistrates) Rules 2014 and the Justice of the Peace Rules 2016;
- manage post-appointment matters such as transfers across local justice areas, re-appointments and reactivations and consideration of matters relating to sittings and leave of absence requests referred to the committee by bench chairs;
- maintain strategic oversight of sitting levels and leave of absence to ensure they are aware of issues that may impact upon future recruitment numbers
- Qualities sought in members of the Lord Chancellor’s advisory committees and sub‑committeesAbility to participate in interviewing candidates for the magistracy. Experience of interviewing is an advantage but is not essentialAbility to articulate clear, well founded reason on the suitability or otherwise of candidatesDiscretion in handling confidential informationWillingness and ability to talk about the magistracy and to participate in recruitment eventsCommitment, dedication and enthusiasm
- Willingness to undergo such training as may, from time to time, be prescribed by the Lord Chancellor.
- Ability to work as a team member
- Understanding or willingness to acquire understanding of the needs of the bench
- Awareness of own prejudices and ability to set them aside
- Good judge of character and ability: objectivity
- Good inter-personal skills
Person Specification
Advisory committee members will be selected and appointed solely on merit.
Applications are welcome from any person who meets the eligibility criteria for appointment and who believes they have the necessary qualities.
Applications are particularly welcome from members of groups currently underrepresented amongst the committee memberships. That includes members of Black and Minority Ethnic communities, people under the age of 50, people from non-managerial or professional occupations, and people with a disability who are able, either unassisted or with the benefit of reasonable adjustments, to carry out the full range of a member’s duties.
How to Apply
Please email:
LRLN-JudicialSupportTeam@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk for an application form or contact the Judicial Support team on 0116 257 5883