The Scottish Government

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ANNEX F

APPOINTMENT OF OTHER MEMBERS TO THE (Name of Region) TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP

Thank you for your response to our advertisement inviting applications for the appointment of new other members to the (Name of Region) Transport Partnership. The following documents are enclosed:

1. advertisement;

2. checklist;

3. application form;

4. role specification and criteria;

5. membership guidance;

6. political activity declaration form;

7. public appointments monitoring form;

8. details of the guaranteed interview scheme for disabled candidates;

9. Factsheet - Public Appointments: Impact on benefits for disabled people.

Appointments are based on merit following a fair, open and transparent process with the Minister for Transport making the final decision about who to appoint in each case.

Your application will be handled as follows -

• Your application will be acknowledged within five working days of receipt.

• The regional transport partnership's sift panel will first assess your completed form against the advertised criteria for the post to see whether you have the necessary skills and knowledge specified for the appointment.

• The regional transport partnership will let you know whether or not you will be interviewed. Should you be invited to attend an interview, your expenses will be reimbursed.

• You will be asked questions to assess whether you can demonstrate that you have the specified qualities.

• All interviewees will be advised in writing of the outcome of the interview.

• If you are successful you will be invited in writing, by the Minister for Transport to accept the appointment.

The schedule below shows the key milestones during the appointments process.

The Government is committed to a policy of equal opportunities in public appointments and is keen to ensure that individuals from all sections of society, and particularly those from under-represented groups, are encouraged to participate in public life. The enclosed public appointments monitoring form is used for monitoring purposes only. This information will form no part of the selection process.

Information on the composition of boards of public bodies is published on our website at www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicbodies . This information, and data on ethnic origin and disability, may also be used in response to Parliamentary Questions and other public enquiries or reports. We guarantee not to publish these statistics in a way which would allow individuals to be identified. In accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, a question seeking your consent to the publication of this information is included in the application form.

Other information being requested will be made public at the time of the news announcement should you be appointed. This applies particularly to any other public appointments you may hold, and of any significant political activity recently undertaken by you.

Please send, fax or email your completed Application Form, Public Appointments Monitoring Form and Political Activity declaration (and if appropriate the Guaranteed Interview Scheme declaration) to the following address no later than (date):

RTP Appointments

(email: [ ])

(fax [ ]).

Please ensure that you have signed the relevant documents. Forms returned electronically will require to be signed personally before any appointment can be made. All correspondence relating to your application will be treated in confidence.

The Executive encourages disabled people to contribute to public life. The effect of taking up a paid public appointment may however affect any disability benefits you receive from the Department for Work and Pensions. This will depend on your individual circumstances and you should therefore seek early advice from the office that pays your benefit. Please see the enclosed Factsheet for further information.

If you wish to make a complaint about any aspect of the public appointment process, you should contact in the first instance the relevant Department of the Scottish Executive who will investigate your complaint on your behalf.

If you are unhappy with the response, you may wish to contact the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland. The Commissioner operates an independent complaints procedures dealing with potential breaches in the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. Contact details can be found on the enclosed leaflet.

If you have any general queries regarding this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. For further information on ( Name of body) duties and functions, see the (body's website address) or call Contact Name and details.

Yours sincerely

(Insert Electronic Signature)

(PRINT NAME)

Scottish Executive

CHECKLIST

POST: Member of the [ ] Transport Partnership

TO BE RETURNED TO: RTP Appointments

NO LATER THAN: [ ] February 2006

WHEN RETURNING YOUR APPLICATION FORM PLEASE ENSURE IT HAS THE CORRECT POSTAGE VALUE AS FAILURE TO DO SO MAY CAUSE ROYAL MAIL TO DELAY YOUR APPLICATION THUS CAUSING YOU TO MISS THE CLOSING DATE. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

HINTS FOR COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION FORM

• Candidates must complete their application form to match their skills and knowledge against the specified criteria.
• Remember to use specific examples which you think relate to the post to support how your knowledge and skills meet the criteria.
• Remember to structure your response in terms of the essential criteria.

Before returning this application form you may find the checklist below to be of some assistance. Forms returned electronically will require to be signed personally before any appointment can be made.

Scottish Executive

RTP Appointments
[Address details]

Please complete this form using BLOCK CAPITALS; ensure it is signed and dated and all enclosures are attached. You should fill in the form as completely and as clearly as possible. Please do not substitute your Curriculum Vitae for a completed form since this will not be considered. This is to enable us to consider applications on an equal basis.

SUITABILITY FOR APPOINTMENT

Drawing on either your working life or personal life, please describe how your skills and knowledge meet the criteria set out below.

PRESENT AND PREVIOUS PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS

Do you hold or have you held an appointment in a public, voluntary or community organisation?

Yes No

If 'Yes', please list below the organisations, length of time, positions held and any remuneration received. Please state the type of organisation in which you held the appointment, continuing on a separate sheet if necessary.

If you are currently holding, or have held, a public appointment we may take up a reference from the Chair.

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Are you aware of any possible conflict of interest which might arise, either personally, in relation to your employment or in relation to your connections with any individuals or organisations should you be appointed? Conflicts of interest are not normally a barrier to appointment as long as they are appropriately managed and/or resolved and this will be explored at interview.

e.g.:

• Perception of rewards for past contributions or favours;
• Relevant pecuniary or other interests outside the organisation;

Yes No

If 'Yes' please give details

ADVERTISING & PUBLICITY

From which publication, or other source, did you learn of this vacancy?

________________________________________________________

If nominated, please state name of nominating body ______________

(A nominating body is an organisation which is invited to put forward suggested names for consideration. Nominees go through the same selection process as candidates applying through open advertisement.)

REFEREES

Please provide details of two referees whom we can approach about your application for appointment if you are selected for interview.

DECLARATION

I declare that the information I have given in support of my application is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true and complete. I understand that if it is subsequently discovered that any statement is false or misleading, or that I have withheld relevant information, my application may be disqualified.

Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, I agree that the information given in the application and monitoring forms may be processed to provide management information for appointment and equal opportunities monitoring purposes.

Signature______________________ Date____________________

Notes:

If you are submitting this form electronically please leave the signature line blank.

If you are shortlisted for interview you will be asked to sign the declaration before the interview takes place.

The personal information provided by you will not be disclosed by the Scottish Executive to third parties. We may however publish statistical information relating to public appointments which will be based on information gathered from these forms but will not identify any individuals.

POLITICAL ACTIVITY

All applicants for a public appointment should complete the question below. This question is asked as it enables the monitoring of political activity of candidates for a public appointment in so far as it is already in the public domain. Neither activity nor affiliation is a criterion for appointment (except where statute dictates specific representation).

If you are successful, the information provided will be published with the announcement of your appointment.

Please indicate which of the following activities you have undertaken during the past 5 years by ticking the appropriate box and by providing details of your involvement. Name the party or body for which you have been active. If you have been or are an Independent or have sought or obtained office as a representative of a particular interest group, you should state this. You should tick all relevant categories.

a. Obtained office as a local councillor, MSP, MP, MEPetc.

Stood as a candidate for one of the above offices

Spoken on behalf of a party or candidate

b. Acted as a political agent

Held office such as Chair, Treasurer or Secretary of a local branch of a party

Canvassed on behalf of a party or helped at elections

Undertaken any other political activity which you consider relevant

c. Made a recordable donation to a political party9

d. None of the above activities apply

Name of Party for which activity undertaken

________________________________________________________________________

Details of involvement: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Name__________________ Signature ________________________ Date______________

Note: This form is for monitoring purposes only and therefore will be detached from your application and will not be seen by any selection panels. However, it is appreciated that such activities may have given you relevant skills, including experience gained from committee work, collective decision-making, resolving conflict and public speaking. If, therefore, you have had such experience and you consider it relevant to your application for this post, you should include it separately in the main body of your application form.

PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS MONITORING FORM

From time to time we are asked to provide information, in summary form only, on age, gender, ethnic origin and disability in response to Parliamentary Questions and other public enquiries. The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that those providing the information must be informed and their consent given.

I confirm that I would like to be considered for the specified public appointment and that the information given on this form is complete and correct and may be processed accordingly.

Signature _____________________________________________________

Print Name _____________________________________________________

Date _____________________________________________________

Please Note:

• The information on ethnic origin does not form part of the selection process (see accompanying letter).

• If you have indicated that you are disabled, please see the enclosed details of the guaranteed interview scheme for disabled candidates. .

GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME

The Scottish Executive is committed to Equal Opportunities and welcomes applications from disabled people.

The Executive is committed to ensuring that disabled people are given every opportunity to make a contribution to the governance of Scotland by serving as a chair or non-executive member of the boards of public bodies. We guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets all the essential criteria for the post.

The essential criteria are those detailed in the publicised Person Specification for the post in question. The decision on whether or not a candidate satisfies the essential criteria will be determined by the Advisory Panel for the post.

What do we mean by disability?

To be eligible for the guaranteed interview scheme you must consider yourself to have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 or consider that you have a disability that affects the work you can do (but which does not fall within the definition contained in the Act).

How do I apply?

Complete the declaration below and return it along with your completed application. Please also provide details of any assistance required at interview.

DECLARATION

I would like to apply under the guaranteed interview scheme as:

I have a disability within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

I have a disability/health problem that affects the work I can do

Please give details

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Date: ___________________________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________________

ASSISTANCE FOR INTERVIEW

To ensure we do not create any barriers in our selection process and to help us implement our equal opportunities policy effectively, please let us know if you would like us to provide any particular assistance for your interview, such as:

If you have any questions about your specific needs at the interview or would like to give us more information, please contact [please insert sponsor team contact details here].

Public Appointments: Impact on benefits for disabled people

• Incapacity benefit
• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Benefit
• Disability Living Allowance

The Government is committed to improving the diversity of the boards of public bodies and to increasing the participation of disabled people.

Many public appointments are now remunerated. This has an effect on entitlement to benefits. The actual impact depends on individual circumstances, the type of benefit and type of appointment.

It is important that applicants in receipt of benefits seek advice from the Department that pays the benefit.

Earning limits

There is an upper limit on the amount that can be earned while receiving income replacement benefits (such as Incapacity Benefit, Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance). These are linked to other benefits (such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit). Payments of both income related and any linked benefit may be reduced or cease if remuneration from a public appointment is over the permitted limits.

Hours

There is also a limit on the number of hours that can be spent on a remunerated appointment whilst receiving certain benefits. Where a public appointment involves work averaging more than sixteen hours a week over an extended period entitlement to Incapacity Benefit ceases. However appointees may become eligible for working Tax Credit.

Mobility allowances

Disability Living Allowance is assessed on the basis of care or mobility needs arising from a person's illness or disability. It is paid irrespective of whether that person is working and earning or not. Anybody those care or mobility needs have increased or decreased must advise the Disability Benefit Unit which may reassess and adjust the allowance.

Expenses

The reimbursement of reasonable expenses does not affect payments of benefits, provided these are wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in fulfilling public duties.

Further information

More information about benefit conditions is available form these sources:

Incapacity Benefit: website link
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/492

This site includes information about the hours and earnings allowed under the "Permitted Work Rules".

Income Support: website link
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/493

This site includes information about "Linking Rules" (these apply if you leave benefit for work but are unable to continue because of ill health or disability) and "Voluntary Work".

Working Tax Credit: website link
https://www/taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/HomelR.aspx

This site explains what tax credits are and how to claim them if you have been receiving an incapacity benefit.

Housing Benefit: website link
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/housing_benefit.asp

Council Tax Benefit: website link
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/council_tax_benefit.asp

Disability Living Allowance: website link
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/disability_liv_allowance.asp

This information has been agreed with Department for Work and Pensions.

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