Appointment details

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) - 2x Planning Committee Independent Members

Summary

• Organisation: Ebbsfleet Development Corporation
• Sponsor department: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
• Location: South East
• Sectors: Property
• Skills: Commercial, Major Projects, Consumer Advocacy
• Number of vacancies: 2
• Time commitment: 2 day(s) per month
• Remuneration: £500 per day
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: Midday on 2 December 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   6 November 2024

2. Application deadline

   Midday on 2 December 2024

3. Sifting date

   20 December 2024

4. Interviews expected to end on

   17 January 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Appointment description

Planning Committee Independent Members provide support to the Corporation’s decision making on planning applications in the area.

The Planning Committee Independent Members should have the competencies needed to operate effectively at Planning Committee. The Committee requires a mix of skills and experience in areas relating to decision making but this does not necessarily need to be in the field of Town Planning. Planning Committee Independent Members should understand the major strategic issues pertaining to the creation of the Garden City and the overarching objectives of the Corporation within a town planning context, balanced against the needs of local communities, businesses and other stakeholders.

In order to maximise the skills and experience of the committee we are seeking two roles. One with a planning or development background and one with a knowledge of the local area and the issues and opportunities it offers.

All members of the Planning Committee will be required to undertake specific training and shall be mindful of the guidance set out in the Planning Advisory Service publication ‘Probity in planning for councillors and officers’ and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government publication ‘Openness and transparency on personal interests’.

Organisation description

Ebbsfleet Development Corporation was established in 2015 to speed up the delivery of up to 15,000 homes and create a 21st-century Garden City in Ebbsfleet, North Kent. As planning authority for the Urban Regeneration Area, as well as landowner for a number of key sites across Ebbsfleet and surrounding communities, the Corporation has ambitions to: 

• Facilitate the delivery of up to 15,000 new homes of all types and tenures
• Champion the creation of 50 new parks and open spaces, as well as a network of green corridors
• Drive forward a new public transport network, with major road infrastructure improvements made to support the growing community
• Provide a platform for thousands of new jobs and opportunities for the local workforce
• Deliver Ebbsfleet Central, the major urban heart of Ebbsfleet Garden City

Person specification

Essential criteria

Essential criteria (all candidates):

• A strong track record of making effective decisions within the private, public or voluntary sectors.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to effectively question fellow Planning Committee members, staff and stakeholders.

• Strong analytical skills with an ability to get to understand complex issues; and

• An ability to understand and interpret planning policy, guidance and law.

Planning/Development Role additional essential criteria:

• Experience of working in the field of Town and Country Planning; or

• Experience of development and development finance.

Community Role additional essential criteria:

• Be a local resident with a strong understanding of the needs of the local area and the existing and new communities; or

• Experience in carrying out community engagement work.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in masterplanning or design. 

• An ability to interpret national strategy in a local context.

Application and selection process

How to apply

More information is available on the EDC website here. In order to apply you will need to provide:

1. A covering letter that: 

- Confirms which of the two roles you are applying for (Planning/Development or Community); and 

- Sets out your suitability for this role; this must include how you meet/demonstrate the essential criteria for that role. 

- If you are applying for both roles, please confirm and please ensure your letter covers all of the essential criteria 

- We would suggest your covering letter is kept to a maximum of three sides 

2. A copy of your CV 

3. The following forms which MHCLG (the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) require us to collect: 

- Diversity Information Form (attached to this advert)

- Declarations of Interests Form (attached to this advert)

Please also complete the Guaranteed Interview Scheme Form if you consider yourself to be disabled and would like to apply for a guaranteed interview under this Scheme. The deadline date for applications is 12 midday on Monday 2 December Your completed application should be returned by the deadline date and time by email to James Richardson at ebbsfleetrecruitment@ebbsfleetdc.org.uk 

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at key stages of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. If you have applied under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The panel will consist of:

• Neil Cameron, EDC Board Member and Chair of the Planning Committee 
• Mark Pullin, EDC Director of Planning & Place 
• Catherine Daw, EDC HR Advisor  

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAPs perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact PublicAppointments@communities.gov.uk.

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

The Ebbsfleet Development Corporation uses a guaranteed interview scheme to help widen employment opportunities for disabled people. Applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum (essential) criteria set out in the person specification and who submit a completed 'Guaranteed Interview Scheme' form will be guaranteed an interview.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or ten years in any one post. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at PublicAppointments@communities.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

The MHCLG privacy notice is attached to this advert.

Contact details

ebbsfleetrecruitment@communities.gov.uk

Attachments

• MHCLG Privacy Notice

• EDC Planning Committee Application Pack

• Declarations of Interest Form

• Diversity Information Form

• Guaranteed Interview Scheme Form