Are you looking for a chance to make a difference in Wednesbury?
Sandwell Council is inviting Expressions of Interest for an Independent Chair and Board Members of a new Partnership Board in Wednesbury.
The Wednesbury Levelling up Partnership Board (WLUP Board) will bring together a range of partners including elected Members, MPs, public sector organisations, representatives of the business and voluntary community and young people.
The Board will oversee the delivery of £20m investment in Wednesbury over 2 years. Funding has already been allocated to projects.
You can see the Council’s press release here.
The Board will ensure communities’ voices are involved in shaping design and decision making and will help to harness collective powers to level up Wednesbury.
About Levelling Up Partnerships
Levelling up Partnerships are about identifying practical, tangible actions to support priority places to ‘level up’ and to help government develop a more comprehensive understanding of place.
Sandwell is one of 20 places selected to form a Levelling up Partnership with Government and this is because the Borough is one of the most deprived local authorities in England.
Wednesbury is set to be offered £20m capital funding with proposals put forward that will enable new homes, improvements to greenspaces and the public realm, deterrents to crime and anti-social behaviour, and an extended community centre offer.
WLUP Board positions available:
- Independent Chair
- 1x Business Community Representative
- 1x VCS representative
- 2x organisations in Wednesbury representing residents with equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) protected characteristics and different faiths
Information for Applicants
Meetings of the Board are expected to take place monthly initially and involve in person and virtual meetings. Arrangements and timings will be confirmed in consultation with the appointed Independent Chair.
All positions are voluntary.
We recognise that people interested in board member positions may not have previous experience of participating in multi-agency boards. We welcome applications from all interested people who meet the criteria below. An induction and ongoing support will be offered.
Applicants for WLUP Board vacancies must not be Elected Members, Council Officers, or Co-opted or independent members of any current council committees.
Successful applicants will be required to sign the Councillor Code of Conduct which is based on the Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles) and will be required complete a register of interest setting out any private interests which may conflict, or may be perceived to conflict, with their board duties. Please see the WLUP Board Terms of Reference for further details.
Applicants will be selected by a panel based on the criteria below and considering the board’s overall composition.
About you
You will bring to the role:
- An understanding and awareness of the issues, challenges and strengths of Wednesbury based on your work in Wednesbury
- An ability to work constructively with others from across sectors and provide critical friend challenge
- An ability to act as conduit between the Board and other organisations and/or residents in Wednesbury
- A commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion
- A passion for making a difference in Wednesbury
For the Independent Chair role, you will also demonstrate:
- Experience of chairing multi-agency boards
- An inclusive and supportive manner to bring partners together and build consensus
- Your championing of equalities, diversity and inclusion
- An understanding of effective governance
- An understanding of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda would be desirable.
How to apply
Please apply by submitting an Expressions of Interest (written statement) setting out your suitability for the role.
Your expression of interest should be no more than 750 words and contain:
- Name of group / organisation
- Your role in the group / organisation
- Contact details (phone and email)
- Which role(s) you are applying for
For applicants interested in a position as an organisation representing residents with EDI protected characteristics, please also include the following in your expression of interest:
- Footfall / Average numbers of residents your organisation engages with per year
- Indication of the demographics (profile) of the residents you engage with
- Any additional information you can provide about your organisation’s reach in relation to the following:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
Please submit your expression of interest to by the end of Tuesday 31 October to wednesbury_lup@sandwell.gov.uk
Further Information
For more information see:
- Wednesbury Levelling Up Partnership Board Terms of Reference
- Sandwell Council Cabinet’s approval to establish Wednesbury Levelling Up Partnership Board
For any queries, or an informal discussion, please contact Rebecca Jenkins rebecca_jenkins@sandwell.gov.uk or Tammy Stokes tammy_stokes@sandwell.gov.uk
