Guidance for completing your application

Please read these notes carefully before completing your application

Candidate Application Pack and Guidance for completing your application

Please read these notes carefully before completing your application

1. Introduction

Thank you for your interest in working for Mansfield District Council. This pack contains the following information

Details about the Council - what we do and what services we provide, the vision of the Council and our key priorities
The benefits of working for the Council
The Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and how we use this information.
Guidance to complete your application
Information about single status and job evaluation
Recruitment Complaint Procedure
Appendices - Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and Right to Work in the UK information

Make sure that you complete all sections of the application form. If you feel that any sections do not apply to you please write N/A (not applicable) in the spaces provided. Please ensure that you apply using the Mansfield District Council application form, do not attach your CV to the application form or send your CV instead as this will not be accepted and your application will not be considered. If you are applying using a paper copy, and use additional or separate sheets of paper, please ensure that you clearly write your name and the post you are applying for at the top of each additional sheet and attach it securely to your application form. We can only make decisions on the information you provide, therefore you should ensure that you provide all relevant information. More information on completing your application form can be found in section 5 of this pack - Guidance to complete your application form.

Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted regarding interview / assessment centre arrangements. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, you may assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion.

Completed applications should be returned via email to recruitment@mansfield.gov.uk or posted to Human Resources, Civic Centre, Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield, NG19 7BH by the closing date. Late applications will not be considered.

2. Information about Mansfield District Council

Mansfield District Council provides a wide range of services across the district including housing repairs, civil engineering, leisure facilities, markets and car parks, neighbourhood wardens and many, many more. By joining us you will be helping to contribute towards making the Mansfield district a better place to work and live.

The Council's vision is to create a more positive image of the area of Mansfield district to develop people, businesses and investment in the area. We also want to improve confidence, pride and dignity so that everyone can enjoy a good quality of life in their neighbourhoods and communities.

To achieve this over the next 10 years, the Council has a corporate plan that includes the following five key priorities:-

Reduce crime and disorder.
Ensure decent homes for all.
Revitalise our district, town centres and neighbourhoods.
Develop a high quality clean, green and pleasant environment.
Ensure effective leadership and management.

These priorities are integrated into service plans across the Council so that every team is supporting the achievement of the priorities. The full plan is available on the Council's internet site.

3. The benefits of working for the Council

We offer our employee's an excellent benefits package, which includes the following:-

Generous holiday entitlement
Good work life balance schemes including flexible working, flexi time and job share scheme.
Occupational sick pay
Optional Local Government Pension scheme
Discounted leisure facilities
Discounted child care vouchers
Selected discounts on a number of retail, high street and leisure companies.

The Council is also committed to developing our employees. We have a personal development scheme in place which is designed to ensure all our employees are offered training and development.

4. Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

Mansfield District Council is committed to achieving fairness and equality in employment and we aim to ensure that that unfair discrimination does not take place at any stage of employment, including during the recruitment process.

By completing the Monitoring Form, the Council will be able to review and monitor the effectiveness of our Recruitment and Selection Policy and supporting processes using statistical data produced from this information.

The Monitoring Form will not be forwarded to the recruiting manager and will therefore not be taken into account when making the appointment. It will be stored securely and confidentially and will be destroyed once the information has been extracted.

Although the form is completed on a voluntary basis, we encourage all applicants to assist in our monitoring in order that we can ensure the effectiveness of our recruitment procedures.

5. Guidance for completing your application

You should read the information on the person specification and job description carefully to make sure that you meet the criteria and that the job and conditions are suitable for you. The Person Specification details the skills, abilities, knowledge and experience that are required for effective performance within the post you are applying for and will form the basis of our selection decisions. Your application should therefore demonstrate how you meet these criteria. You can draw on experience from all aspects of your education and experience, including paid and unpaid employment, hobbies or voluntary activities.

Detailed below are details for what information you need to complete in each section of the application form.

Application form section	Information to include
1. Post details	Enter the post title that you are applying for and also the recruitment reference number, this will be detailed on the advert.
2. Personal details	Enter the requested information in this section, remember to double check your address and email address as we will use this information to contact you.
3. Current employment	If you are working currently, please provide the relevant details of your post and employer. If you are not employed at the moment, please provide details of the last employment that you had. Include a concise outline of your current duties, or of the duties of the last post you had. Try to ensure that this information is brief and to the point, you may want to use bullet points.
4. Employment History and Work Experience	Starting with the most recent, provide details of all your previous employment since you left full time education. Remember to include the dates of the employment and the reason for leaving. You should provide concise details of your duties and responsibilities; again you may want to use bullet points.
5. Education & Qualifications	List all the formal qualifications you have, including grades where appropriate, and where they were obtained to demonstrate that you meet the relevant qualification requirements of the post. These will be detailed in the person specification. Please note that you will be required to provide documentary evidence of the qualifications you hold if you are invited for interview.
6. Membership of professional organisations	Provide details of your membership of any professional bodies / organisations. For instance - Institute of Leadership and Management; Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Ensure that you include details of membership of any bodies that are required for the post. Documentary evidence of membership of institutions required for the post will be requested if you are invited for interview.
7. Other relevant training courses completed	Please include here details of any other training courses that you have completed that are relevant to the post. Some examples might include customer service; coaching or mentoring; project management or training that is specific to your profession.
8. References	Please provide details of two referees. One referee should be your current employer or, if you are not in work, your most recent employer. Alternatively, if you have recently left full time education this should be your form / course tutor. Please provide email addresses where possible as this will enable us to speed up the process of gaining references. Please do not include any relative as a referee. Generally references will not be taken up before interview. However, we do reserve the right to take references prior to interview if required and so you should indicate on your application if you do not want referees to be contacted prior to interview. Any offer of employment made will be conditional subject to receipt of satisfactory references.
9. Additional information	This section requests additional information, please answer the questions by deleting as applicable or circling your answer. As detailed on the application form, directly or indirectly canvassing members of the Council will disqualify your application. 'Canvassing' in this context is defined as a deliberate act(s) to gain advantage in the recruitment and selection process by attempting to obtain relevant information from key individuals and/or attempting to persuade those who may be involved in the decision making.
10. Disclosure of criminal background	The Authority is required, under the Police Act 1997; the Protection of Children Act 1999 and the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 to check the criminal background of those employees whose jobs give them access to children or other vulnerable members of society. Having a criminal record may not necessarily prevent you from being considered for employment with Mansfield District Council, it will depend on the nature of the post that you are applying for and the circumstances. For all posts you need to answer three questions in the first part of section 10. If the post for which you are applying requires a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check, you must provide information of ALL convictions as the post is automatically exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and rules relating to 'spent' convictions do not apply. If the post you are applying for does not require a CRB check, you are still required to answer the questions at the start of section 10 but you do not need to disclose convictions that considered as 'spent' under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Details as to whether the post you are applying for requires a CRB check will be clearly outlined on the job description. Further information on whether a conviction is spent or not is provided in Appendix 1 which is at the back of this applicants pack. The information you provide is not used for shortlisting purposes. However, if you are shortlisted for interview, your criminal record information will be discussed with you if the interview panel feel that it is relevant to the job for which you are applying.
11. Equality Act 2010	The Council welcomes applications from disabled candidates, and has been awarded the 'Positive about Disability Symbol' in recognition of our commitment as an employer in ensuring that disabled people are supported and treated fairly at every stage of their selection, employment and career development. We are committed to interviewing all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria of the role applied for. If you are applying for this position under the 'Positive about Disability' scheme, please tick the box on the application form and advise us of any reasonable adjustments which you needed to ensure the interview is accessible to you.
12. Statement in support of your application	This is one of the most important sections of the application form as this is where you can sell your skills and experience and make a case for being shortlisted for the post. Ensure that you complete this is a concise, well organised and positive way. Examine the person specification and job description and provide evidence by giving specific examples that you possess the skills, qualifications and experience that are relevant to the post. Don't just repeat your career history but instead pick out key points that demonstrate the experience that you have. Remember to refer to the person specification and ensure that you have provided examples that cover all the skills and experience requested. Give some thought to your previous work experience or other responsibilities which may assist you to think about skills which you have not considered before. Don't forget skills and experience that you may have gained outside of paid employment, such as any community, voluntary or leisure activity you have been involved in. If you have been out of paid employment for a long time, or have never been employed before, your job history may be less important than some of the responsibilities and experience which you have had more recently. For example, you may have considerable domestic responsibilities; organise social or community activities or help out at a local school in your spare time.
13. Asylum & Immigration Act - legal right to work in the UK	The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 strengthened the requirement for employers to check documents to establish a person's eligibility to work in the UK and compliance with any restrictions. There are civil penalties and fines of up to £10,000 for each illegally employed worker and unlimited fines and imprisonment of up to 2 years for knowingly employing illegal workers. Under the act we are required to check all candidates' eligibility to work in the UK before you start work. We therefore ask all candidates to bring proof of their right to work to interview. Any offer of employment will be subject to sight of original documentation that demonstrates your right to work in the UK. Appendix 2 at the back of this pack lists the documents that are acceptable as evidence of your right to work in the UK.
14. Candidate declaration	Please read this statement carefully and tick or place a 'x' in the box to indicate that you have read and understood the information in the declaration. Print your name and sign your application form, unless you are completing the application electronically in which case simply type your name.

6. Single status and job evaluation - information for job applicants

This information is designed to inform you about two key issues affecting employment with Mansfield District Council - Single Status and Job Evaluation.

We believe it is important that you know and understand these issues to enable you to make an informed decision when considering any job offer that may be made to you.

Single Status

In 1997, an agreement was reached at national level between local authority employers and trade unions on a new national agreement on pay and conditions of service.

The Single Status agreement covers all the main terms and conditions of employees of Mansfield District Council (except Craftworkers and Chief Officers who are currently covered by their own pay and conditions), from rates of pay and allowances to working hours and training and development.

Whilst the national agreement sets out some minimum standards for all local authorities to follow (e.g. the length of the working week) it allows for many terms and conditions to be negotiated and agreed locally. This means that you are likely to see some changes to your pay and terms and conditions of employment if you are successful in your job application.

Pay and Grading Review - Job Evaluation

As an employer, the Council need to be able to demonstrate that the salaries paid fairly reflect the nature and responsibilities of jobs in relation to each other and ensure jobs of equal value receive equal pay.

Many existing terms and conditions are being reviewed, perhaps the most significant of these is the current Pay and Grading Review. To achieve this all posts will be evaluated using the nationally agreed Job Evaluation Scheme for Local Government Services employees. The grade and salary for the post for which you have expressed an interest in will apply at the moment, but as a result of the Pay and Grading review it is possible that the grade and/or salary may change.

7. Recruitment Complaint Procedure

If you have a complaint about any aspect of the recruitment procedure please send your concerns in writing, within 2 months of the closing date, for the attention of the HR Manager to Mansfield District Council, Civic Centre, Chesterfield Road South, Mansfield, NG19 7BH.

8. What happens next?

You will be contacted as soon as possible if you have been shortlisted for the post. If you are successful at interview you will be told as soon as possible if you are the successful candidate. This will be subject to two satisfactory references, verification of qualifications, verification of right to work in the UK documentation and in some cases CRB disclosure.

You will then receive your formal offer letter and statement of written particulars, a copy of the job descriptions and copies of key policies and procedures as well as a pension option form and information.

8. If you have any queries ....

If you have any queries please contact the Human Resources team on recruitment@mansfield.gov.uk or on 01623 463249.

Thank you for your interest in working for Mansfield District Council - we look forward to receiving your application!

Appendix 1

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, amended 1986 - details of spent convictions

All suspended sentences are treated, for the purposes of rehabilitation, as if they had been put into effect.

A sentence of more than 2.5 years in prison, a life sentence, preventative detention or the equivalent for your offenders can never be spent.

A conviction is never spent when applying for posts as an Accountant, Solicitor or any employment involved with providing young people with accommodation, car, leisure and recreational facilities, supervision or training (and those working on premises where such provision is made) and any employment involving the elderly, sick or disabled people.

Subject to the conditions above, a conviction can become spent where the individual ha not, after such a period of time (see table below), committed another offence.

The rehabilitation period (the length of time before a caution or conviction becomes spent) is determined by the type of disposal administered or the length of the sentence imposed. It is calculated from the date of conviction or the date the caution is administered.

Sentence / disposal	Rehabilitation period for adults (18 or over at the time of conviction or the time the disposal was administered)	Rehabilitation period for young people (under 18 at the time of the conviction or the time the disposal is administered)
Imprisonment or detention in a young offender institution for over 30 months (2.5 years)	Never spent	Never spent
Imprisonment or detention in a young offender institution over 6 months but not exceeding 30 months (2.5 years)	10 years	5 years
Imprisonment up to 6 months	7 years	3.5 years
Fine	5 years	2.5 years
Community sentence	5 years	2.5 years
Conditional discharge	The period of the order, or a minimum of 12 months (whichever is the longer)	The period of the order, or a minimum of 12 months (whichever is the longer)
Absolute discharge	6 months	6 months
Conditional caution	3 months	3 months
Simple caution, reprimand, final warning	Spent immediately	Spent immediately
Some sentences carry variable rehabilitation periods. The main ones are as follows:
Compensation Order	On the discharge of the order (i.e. when it is paid in full)	On the discharge of the order (i.e. when it is paid in full)
Supervision Order	N/A	The period of the order, or a minimum of 12 months (whichever is longer)
Bind Over	The period of the order, or a minimum of 12 months (whichever is the longer)	The period of the order, or a minimum of 12 months (whichever is longer)
Attendance Centre Order	A period ending one year after the order expires	A period ending one year after the order expires
Hospital Order	Five years, or a period ending two years after the order expires (whichever is longer)	Five years, or a period ending two years after the order expires (whichever is longer)

Appendix 2

List of Eligibility to Work in the UK documentation

List A

Any one of the following single documents, or combination of documents, may be supplied. If produced, none of documents listed in List B are required.

1.	A passport showing that the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a British citizen or a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies having the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
2.	A passport or national identity card showing that the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a national of the Economic Area or Switzerland.
3.	A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indicating permanent residence issued by the Home Office, Border & Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.
4.	A permanent residence card issues by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.
5.	A Biometric Immigration Document issued by the UK Border Agency to the holder which indicates that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom, or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom.
6.	A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom, has the right of abode in the United Kingdom, or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom.
7.	An Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
8.	A full birth certificate issued in the UK which includes the name(s) of at least one of the holder's parents, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
9.	A full adoption certificate issued in the United Kingdom which includes the name(s) or at least one of the holder's adoptive parents when when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
10.	A birth certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
11.	An adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
12.	A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British Citizen, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
13.	A letter issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the holder which indicates that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom when produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

List B

Any one of the following documents, or combination of documents, may be supplied. These documents only provide eligibility to work in the UK for a maximum of 12 months and continued eligibility will require re-checking.

1.	A passport or travel document endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the United Kingdom and is allowed to do the type of work in question, provided that it does not require the issue of a work permit.
2.	A Biometric Immigration Document issued by the UK Border Agency to the holder which indicates that the person named in it can stay in the United Kingdom and is allowed to do the work in question.
3.	A work permit or other approval to take employment issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency when produced in combination with either a passport or another travel document endorsed to show the holder is allowed to stay in the United Kingdom and is allowed to do the work in question, or a letter issued by the Home Office, Border & Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the holder or the employer confirming the same.
4.	A certificate of application issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to or for a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland stating that the postholder is permitted to take employment which is less than 6 months old when produced in combination with evidence of verification by the UK Border Agency Employee Checking Service.
5.	A residence card or document issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.
6.	An Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency stating that the holder is permitted to take employment, when produced in combination with evidence of verification by the UK Border Agency Employer Checking Service.
7.	An Immigration Status Documentation issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it can stay in the United Kingdom, and is allowed to do the type of work in question, when in produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.
8.	A letter issued by the Home Office, Border and Immigration Agency or UK Border Agency to the holder or the employer or prospective employer, which indicates that the person named in it can stay in the United Kingdom and is allowed to do the work in question when in produced in combination with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance Number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

Unacceptable documents

Listed below are documents which are not acceptable as evidence of eligibility to work in the UK

1.	A Home Office Standard Acknowledgement Letter or Immigration Service Letter (IS96W) which states that an asylum seeker can work in the UK. Of you are presented with these documents then you should advise the applicant to call the UK Border Agency on 0151 237 6375 for information about how they can apply for a registration card.
2.	A temporary National Insurance Number beginning with TN, or any number which ends with the letters E to Z inclusive.
3.	A permanent National Insurance number when presented in isolation.
4.	A driving licence issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
5.	A bill issued by a financial institution or a utility company.
6.	A passport describing the holder as a British Dependant Territories Citizen which states that the holder has a connection with Gibraltar.
7.	A short (abbreviated) birth certificate issued in the UK which does not have details of at least one of the holder's parents.
8.	A licence provided by the Security Industry Authority.
9.	A document checked by the Criminal Records Bureau.
10.	A card or certificate issued by the Inland Revenue under the Construction Industry Scheme.

Rehabilitation of offenders: If you are unsure whether a conviction is classed as spent or not under the rehabilitation of offenders act (1974) amended 1986, please read the information on this page.; More about 'Rehabilitation of offenders'
Permission to work in the UK: Under Section 8 of the Asylum & immigration act 1996 (updated 2004) it is a criminal offence to employ a person unless s/he has current, valid permission to be in the UK and that permission does not prevent her/him from working, or, s/he has written permission to work from the Home Office.; More about 'Permission to work in the UK'