Independent Member Standards Committee – Department Communities

Independent Member of the Standards Committee – Department for Communities

The Committee is an advisory body with an independent chairperson, two independent members and departmental officials responsible for providing the Department for Communities Deputy Secretary of Supporting People Group with assurance on social security and child maintenance standards of decision making and financial accuracy.

• provide assurance to the Deputy Secretary of Supporting People Group that effective decision‑making and checking procedures are in place;
• confirm legislation is properly applied;
• monitor and report performance against quality targets;
• identify common trends relating to the quality of decision making in Supporting People and Work and Health Groups and highlight those areas where improvement is needed;
• make specific recommendations on any area considered appropriate;
• provide assurance to the Deputy Secretary of Supporting People Group that mechanisms are in place to feedback results to the Department to enable continuous improvement;
• report to the Deputy Secretary of Supporting People Group on the operation of the decision‑making process and where necessary to make recommendations for changes to it. The Deputy Secretary should be free to meet the Chairperson informally and discuss issues that may arise during the year;
• provide the Deputy Secretary of Supporting People Group with an annual assurance in the form of reports on the quality of decision making in Supporting People and Work and Health Groups and such other reports as the Deputy Secretary or the Standards Committee considers appropriate; and
• provide assurance on the quality of decision making with the results of financial accuracy.

Applicants must have:

• a knowledge of the strategic issues affecting the Department for Communities social security and child maintenance business areas and the impact on service delivery;
• a knowledge of public opinion on social security and child maintenance matters;
• experience of working with the voluntary sector, community groups, trade unions or other groups which regularly represent customers in their dealings with the Department for Communities;
• experience of working with internal and external stakeholders to achieve organisational objectives; and
• an ability to articulate views clearly and concisely to inform discussion and decision making.