Lay member for Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Recruitment Advisory Committee
- Body
- Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Recruitment Advisory Committee
- Appointing Department
- Ministry of Justice
- Sector
- Judicial, Prison & Policing
- Location
- Luton, St Albans, Hatfield and Central London
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- Non-remunerated. Members who incur a financial loss through attendance at meetings and other official committee business may claim an allowance equal to that loss. Reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be met
- Time Requirements
- Total appointment to a maximum of 9 years. (Previous members of Advisory Committees who have already served a nine year term are ineligible to apply)
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
28/01/2020
-
Closed for Applications
28/02/2020
-
Panel Sift
TBC
-
Final Interview Date
TBC March and April 2020
-
Announcement
TBC
Vacancy Description
The Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Recruitment Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace is responsible for the recruitment and selection of magistrates within Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire and for liaison with the Judicial Office.
Volunteers are needed to sit as lay members on the Lord Chancellor’s Recruitment Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace for Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire. As a lay member of the committee you would be involved in interviewing and selecting prospective new magistrates. (For further information please refer to “Applying to become a member of an advisory committee or sub-committee: notes for guidance” which can be found here https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/advisory-committees-justices-peace/).
After two years’ appointment there may also be the opportunity to be appointed to the regional conduct panel looking into cases of alleged misconduct or lack of competence by magistrates, along with other matters affecting magistrates post-appointment.
Person Specification
The qualities sought in members of Advisory Committees include: good interpersonal skills; good judgment of character and ability; the ability to articulate clear, well founded reason on the suitability or otherwise of candidates; awareness of their own personal prejudices and an ability to set them aside; discretion in handling confidential information; the ability to work as a team member; commitment, dedication and enthusiasm; willingness to undergo such training as the Lord Chancellor may, from time to time, prescribe; understanding or willingness to acquire understanding of the local bench; willingness to talk about the magistracy and to participate in recruitment activities;
Members also need to be able to participate in interviewing candidates for the magistracy and therefore experience of interviewing is an advantage, but not essential.
Lay members of Advisory Committees bring a valuable external influence to the processes;
The Lord Chancellor will not appoint a person to serve on a Committee beyond their 70th birthday.
Additional Information
The annual time commitment required can vary depending on the level of magistrate recruitment the committee is undertaking each year, but as a general guide this may involve between ten to twenty days of interviewing. In any event the Committee usually holds an average of two full meetings a year and members may also be required to attend training sessions from time to time. Meetings, interviews and training events are generally held within normal business hours Monday to Friday.