South Lakeland District Council Recruitment Booklet Recruiting talent developing skills www.southlakeland.gov.uk South Lakeland District Council South Lakeland House Lowther Street Kendal Cumbria LA9 4UQ Tel : 01539 733333 www.southlakeland.gov.uk If you would like a copy of this document in another format such as large print, Braille, audio or in a different language, please call 0845 050 4434 or email customer.services@ southlakeland.gov.uk Recruitment Booklet South Lakeland District Council Contents page Our Location 2 Your Recruitment Pack 3 Our Shared Vision for South Lakeland 3 What Makes South Lakeland Distinctive 3 Applying for a job at South Lakeland 6 Supporting a Successful Applicant 9 Terms and Main Conditions of Service 12 Staff Benefits 13 page 1 South Lakeland District Council Recruitment Booklet Our Location South Lakeland is situated in the north west of England. It is easily accessible via the M6 motorway and the main West Coast railway line. UK Cumbria South Lakeland page 2 Recruitment Booklet South Lakeland District Council Your Recruitment Pack Your application is important to us. In order to help you decide whether you wish to apply for this job, the following information has been included in the pack: • Covering letter • Job Description • Person Specification • Application Form • Equal Opportunities & Diversity Monitoring Form • Details of the Directorate Additional information is included within the booklet and the recruitment pack as necessary. If you have any queries please contact the Human Resources Recruitment Team on 01539 797570 or Email: [email protected] Our Shared Vision for South Lakeland "By involving people and creating opportunities we will make South Lakeland the best place to live, work and visit…..” What Makes South Lakeland Distinctive South Lakeland covers over 600 square miles and includes several notable market towns and villages. Although predominantly rural it has access to good communication links with the West Coast main line and the M6 running through the district. It has some especially distinctive characteristics: page 3 South Lakeland District Council Recruitment Booklet Its Natural Environment South Lakeland has a stunning landscape which includes parts of The Lake District National Park and The Yorkshire Dales National Park, along with a breathtaking coastal peninsula. Its Attractions The picturesque landscape makes South Lakeland a popular tourist destination bringing in visitors from all over the world. We have many well known lakes and mountains which encourages wildlife and offers opportunities for outdoor activities. The area also boasts many historic landmarks such as Kendal Castle, Sizergh Castle, Levens Hall, Holker Hall and the homes of authors and poets such as;- Beatrice Potter, Alfred Wainwright, William and Dorothy Wordsworth, John Ruskin and Arthur Ransome. South Lakeland has an array of art galleries, museums, libraries, a vibrant music scene as well as an extensive network of sports clubs and recreational facilities. Its Population The current estimated population is 104,800, with a forecast of further growth to 112,300 by 2029. South Lakeland District Council’s Community Strategy (2008-2028) The Council has a list of priorities under the following themes:- • Accessibility • Children and Young People • Community Safety • Health and Well-being • Housing to Meet Need • Involving our Communities • Jobs, Skills and Regeneration • Quality Environment Equality and Diversity in the Workplace The Council is committed to ensuring that equal opportunity practices are embedded in all the recruitment and selection processes that it undertakes. Our Equality and Diversity in the Workplace Policy states the following regarding the recruitment and selection of employees and potential employees: The Council will: • Ensure that the employees of the Council are representative of the community it serves. page 4 Recruitment Booklet South Lakeland District Council • Ensure that employees are recruited and promoted on the basis of ability and other relevant objective criteria to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post for which they have applied. • Continue to ensure that the recruitment and selection procedure is applied consistently to ensure fair access to all jobs. • Ensure that external job opportunities are communicated to all sections of the local community. • Ensure that at least one member of a recruitment panel is trained in equality and diversity. • Ensure that all employees and applicants are treated with dignity and respect. Where harassment, victimisation or bullying occurs this will be confronted and dealt with through the appropriate policies and procedures. • Ensure that recruitment policies and procedures are reviewed and updated on a regular basis and reflect and incorporate national legislation and leading models of good practice and codes of conduct. • Consider adapting organisational requirements or existing practices where they are contrary to employee’s cultural and religious needs. • Involve and communicate effectively with all employees. • Provide a fair, equal and transparent pay and reward system. page 5 South Lakeland District Council Recruitment Booklet Applying for a job at South Lakeland Your application is important to us and we recognise that applying for a job can be daunting. Please read the following guidelines BEFORE completing the application form. Recruitment Process Quite simply, we want to recruit the best person for the job! We aim to give you the opportunity to provide information about your abilities and experience, as they relate to the post. Please consider the job description and person specification before applying. Job Description This aims to give you a full description of the main responsibilities of the job and what will be expected of the successful applicant. Person Specification This describes the skills, abilities, qualifications and experience required to do the job successfully. We will only shortlist those who demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria in the person specification, with the exception of disabled applicants. (see below) The Application Form The application form must be fully completed. When outlining your skills and abilities, try to give examples and link them to the criteria listed on the person specification. page 6 Recruitment Booklet South Lakeland District Council Remember – the application form is the only information we have about you, and it is up to you to demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the job, by describing the relevant experience. NB experience gained outside paid employment may be equally relevant. If you are a relation of any member of the Council, you must disclose this on the application form. We require your present or most recent employer to be one of the referees wherever possible. If you have not been in paid employment for some time please contact us for advice. If you are a college/school leaver then please provide your teacher/tutor as your referee. Job Sharing The Council actively promotes flexible working practices of which job sharing is one of the options. The majority of posts are available in this way, if you are interested in job-sharing – please indicate this on the application form. The Recruitment Monitoring Form Please complete and return this form with your application form. Once received, this information is separated from the application form and is not used in the short-listing process. It is used only for monitoring purposes. Disabled Applicants South Lakeland District Council has been awarded the ‘positive about disabled’ two ticks symbol. To achieve this, the Council agreed to take action to meet five commitments regarding the employment, retention, training and career development of disabled employees. Within recruitment if a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria specified for a post they will be guaranteed an interview. The statutory duty to make reasonable adjustments in relation to disabled applicants applies where the Council knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, that the disabled person in question is or may be an applicant for the post, or that a particular applicant has a disability which is likely to place them at a disadvantage. If you consider yourself to have a disability please ensure you complete this section of the application form. Please indicate if you require any special aids/adaptations or conditions if called for interview. Interview Expenses Travel expenses are normally reimbursed at the rate of the second class rail fare. Where an over-night stay is necessary, the cost of bed and breakfast will be paid, subject to a maximum figure operated by the authority. Please check this limit prior to booking. A form will be issued when invited to interview and receipts will be required. page 7 South Lakeland District Council Recruitment Booklet Asylum and Immigration Act 2006 The Asylum and Immigration Act 2006 makes it a criminal offence for an employer to employ those who do not have permission to live or to work in the United Kingdom. All new recruits must provide evidence of their eligibility to work in the UK and the HR Group will coordinate this pre-employment check prior to a formal offer of employment being made. page 8 Recruitment Booklet South Lakeland District Council Supporting a Successful Applicant Removal and Relocation Expenses The scheme shall apply to all newly appointed officers to the Authority recruited in response to a national advertisement (excluding adverts on websites) whose place of residence is outside a 25 mile radius from their administrative base. This scheme will not apply to staff recruited in response to national advertising whose place of residence is within a 25-mile radius of their administrative centre, nor will it apply to any staff recruited solely in response to local advertising. The scheme will apply to all grades, up to and including Directors. In special circumstances certain new employees, who have been deemed vulnerable because of the nature of their employment with the Council, are allowed to move to a new place of residence outside the District, whilst still obtaining the advantage of relocation expenses.