Information for Candidates. Upland Forum. Appointment of Chair & Members

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1 Information for Candidates Upland Forum Appointment of Chair & Members 1

2 Background The Upland Forum is a non-executive Ministerial Advisory Group established in 2005 to advise Welsh Government and the National Assembly for Wales on issues relating to the hills and uplands of Wales. The Upland Forum recently completed its third three year term, and is seeking to appoint a chairperson and seven independent members to the Upland Forum for its fourth term ( ). During its third term of office, the Upland Forum was instrumental in developing the Unlocking the Potential of the Uplands report which was launched in December Upland Forums Role Provide Welsh Government with advice on the impact of policies on the uplands. Principal tasks: Contribute to the preparation of advice to the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food on matters relating to the uplands (in land use terms, the boundary of the Uplands is taken to be the Severely Disadvantaged Area (SDA) of the Less Favoured Area (LFA). In its fourth term, the Upland Forum has also been specifically tasked with - Advising Welsh Government on the Rural Development Plan ( ) measures in the uplands. - Review progress on the recommendations made in the Unlocking the Potential of the Uplands report. Consider how upland polices can help with tackling poverty in upland communities. Role Description Upland Forum members are required to act independently from any other organisations they are associated with. We are seeking applicants who have a desire to help Welsh Government in developing appropriate policies for the Welsh uplands. We seek an Upland Forum which has an appropriate mix of gender, skills and knowledge. There are a diverse range of interests in the uplands. We seek members who bring experience and expertise on specific interests, but also an understanding of wider influences in the uplands and their highly interconnected nature. 2

3 Members are required to: Attend 4 quarterly meetings. In exceptional circumstances, there may be a requirement to attend further meetings as and when agreed by the Chair and Welsh Government. Contribute to the preparation of advice to the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food on matters relating to the hills and uplands of Wales. Contribute advice to the work of the group as required In addition the Chair will: Chair the Upland Forum meetings. Prepare agendas for meetings in consultation with members and the secretariat. To ensure that advice provided to Ministers takes into consideration the broad range of interests in the welsh uplands. Person Specification The Upland Forum is seeking to appoint individuals who can demonstrate the following: Good knowledge of at least one key interest in the uplands. The below are some interests the forum seeks to encompass, though applications are not restricted to these backgrounds: farming, forestry, tourism, communities, environmental issues such as water quality and wildlife conservation, scientific research in the uplands, country sports, rural economic development. Understanding of wider influences in the uplands and their inter-relationship. Sound interpersonal and communication skills; A clear understanding and commitment to equality issues and challenging discriminatory practices when appropriate; Have an understanding of the importance of high standards in public life. In addition, chair candidates will also need to demonstrate: Well developed interpersonal skills with an ability to chair meetings. High levels of leadership skills. Sound intellectual and communication skills, including the ability to draw together disparate views. Welsh language skills are desirable. Eligibility Applicants should be persons who conduct themselves at all times in a manner which will maintain public confidence. 3

4 Membership Upland Forum The Upland Forum will contain a maximum of 10 members, including the chair, in its fourth term ( ) Secretariat Welsh government officials provide secretariat duties to the upland Forum. Terms of Appointment Appointments will be made by the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans. The appointments will be for an initial period of 3 years, renewable subject to satisfactory review, to a maximum of 10 years. Time Commitment Members will be expected to attend 4 quarterly meetings. There will also be some work outside of meetings for the development of advice for ministers and other forum work. Location of Meetings The Upland Forums meetings are usually held in Aberystwyth, but there will be occasion when meetings are required elsewhere in Wales. Remuneration The post of chair will be paid at 114 per day. The Chair of the upland forum is regarded as a holder of an office for tax and National Insurance purposes. Fees payable will, as a result, be chargeable to tax under Schedule E of the Taxes Act and subject to Class 1 National Insurance contributions. These liabilities will be deducted via the Welsh Government payroll system and the net fee paid to the office holder. Fees are not subject to VAT. Travel and other reasonable expenses that might be incurred in carrying out work on the Upland Forum can be claimed from the Welsh Government within the recognised limits. You may also be eligible to claim reimbursement for costs in relation to child care/care of the elderly/assistant carer, whilst carrying out work on behalf of the Upland Forum. Assistance for Disabled Members Where appropriate all reasonable adjustments will be made to enable members to effectively carry out their duties. Selection Process Although appointments to the Upland Forum do not come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments these appointments are made using a process which takes into account the Commissioner s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies as best practice. It is the policy of the Welsh 4

5 Government to promote and integrate equality of opportunity into all aspects of its business including appointments to public bodies. Applications are welcomed and encouraged from all groups and we ensure that no eligible candidate for public office receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, or pregnancy and maternity. The principles of fair and open competition will apply and appointments will be made on merit. Starting date April 2015 Further Information and Queries For further information on the application process and to apply, please visit or for queries contact the HR Helpdesk on / hr-helpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk. For further information about the Upland Forum, and the role, you may contact Helen Minnice-Smith on (mobile: ); Helen.Minnice-Smith@wales.gsi.gov.uk Application To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first a full CV and the second a personal statement (no more than one page of A4), detailing your experience, how you meet the role description and person specification and how you could contribute to the Upland Forum. The two documents should be uploaded to the Attach Supplementary Document(s) section of the online application form. We hope you will find the on-line process simple to follow but we recognise that not everyone will be able to use it because of their own individual accessibility requirements. If you are unable to apply online please contact the HR Helpdesk on who will be able to provide a copy of the application pack in an alternative format. Closing Date and Key Decision Dates The closing date for applications is 10th February CVs and personal statements received after this date will not be considered. You will be informed whether or not you are being invited to interview at least two weeks before the interviews which are expected to be held on the 4 th /5 th March 2015 at Aberystwyth. The Minister s decision on these appointments is expected in March