General Information for Applicants

Position Applied for / Personal and Contact Details / Entitlement to work in the UK / References / Current employment / Previous employment / Gaps in employment / Education / Other training and development / Membership of Professional Associations / Reasons for applying for the job / Additional Information / Convictions/Disqualifications / Criminal Records, ISA and Safeguarding Declaration / General Declaration / Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form / Data Protection / Individual Needs of Disabled Applicants / Training and Development Policy / Terms and Conditions of Employment / Probationary Period / Salary / Hours of Work / Annual Leave / Pension / Notice Period / Sickness Absence / Equal Opportunities Statement / Membership of a Trade Union / No Smoking Policy

Thank you for your enquiry regarding a job vacancy with Bath and North East Somerset Council. This guide has been designed to help you complete this application form and the equal opportunities monitoring form. It also contains an outline of the conditions of service, salary and benefits and the Equal Opportunities Policy operated by the Council.

Application details can be made available in other formats, such as Braille and tape. Please contact Human Resources for further details.

This section of the guidance relates to the various sections of the Application Form

Position Applied for

Please provide details of the post you are applying for. If there is a reference number for the post, please ensure you include this on your form.

Personal and Contact Details

Please complete all details within this section. If you have changed your name, for whatever reason, please provide your previous name(s).

Entitlement to work in the UK

Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 we are required to check your eligibility to work in the UK before you start work. We ask all candidates to bring proof of their right to work to interview. However, this does not form part of the decision making process. All documents must be originals as photocopies will not be accepted. If you are successful, we will keep a copy of the documentation you provide on your confidential personnel file. Should you require more information on your right to work in the UK, please visit the UK Border Agency Website.

References

It is important to note that if you are shortlisted, referees will be contacted prior to interview. This is an important part of safer recruitment. Only in exceptional circumstances will the Council consider candidates being shortlisted without references.. If this is the case you must indicate which referee you do not wish us to contact by ticking the appropriate box. *Please also see note. You should also explain why using a separate sheet, which should be attached to the application form. When providing names and details of referees, please ensure that at least one of them is a present or most recent employer. If you are not currently in employment and/or your last employer cannot give you a reference because the organisation no longer exists, you should attempt to get a reference from a professional person. If you have just left school/college/university the reference should be from a Headteacher, Head of Year or Head of Faculty. References from relatives, partners or close friends are not acceptable.

Note: Applicants should be aware that where the work involves access to children or other vulnerable groups, it will be necessary to obtain references relevant to the area. This means previous employers not quoted as referees may be contacted.

Current employment

This should only be completed if you are currently working. You can also use this section to tell us about any voluntary work or work experience placements that you are doing at the moment.

Previous employment

When you are completing this section, please include all employers since leaving full time education. We require full names and addresses of all past employers, dates of employment and reasons for leaving.

Gaps in employment

You will need to give dates of and explain any gaps in your employment. This applies irrespective of length of time. The information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence

Education

Please use this section to show us you have the necessary qualifications to do the job. These may include equivalent qualifications gained abroad. Again, please ensure you read the Person Specification when completing this.

Other training and development

Please tell us about any training you have attended particularly where it is relevant to the post.

Membership of Professional Associations

You may find the post you are applying for requires you to be a member of a particular organisation. If this is the case, please complete this section. Note: Certain posts (e.g. social worker posts) require you to provide your registration number and date. You will also be required to provide details of any conditions or prohibitions place upon you. Should this be the case then the information should be provided in a separate sealed envelope attached to the Application Form.

Reasons for applying for the job

This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself including your experience skills and knowledge and how you meet the competencies required for the post. Refer to the person specification and work through each requirement, providing examples of real-life situations that demonstrate your ability to carry out tasks described. You should also include non-work related examples provided they are relevant to the job.

Additional Information

This part of the form asks for a variety of information including details of other employment, absence and whether you have been dismissed from any post previously. The information relating to dismissal will be used to consider your suitability for a post, particularly those where safeguarding is important.

In the case of absence you should not include any maternity or disability related absence.

You must declare if you are related to another Council employee or a Councillor, any failure to do so may mean you are disqualified for the appointment or, if appointed, liable to dismissal without notice.

Convictions/Disqualifications

Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of your offences. Criminal Records information is dealt with in accordance with Criminal Records Bureau Code of Practice. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, a conviction will become spent after a set period of time. The following table shows the relevant rehabilitation periods. If you are working with vulnerable adults, children and young people the post is exempt under the Act and you are required to give details of all convictions, cautions including spent convictions

Criminal Records, ISA and Safeguarding Declaration – to be completed for any post where CRB clearance is required and by all applicants who are working with vulnerable groups

This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself including your experience skills and knowledge and how you meet the competencies required for the post. Refer to the person specification and work through each requirement, providing examples of real-life situations that demonstrate your ability to carry out tasks described. You should also include non-work related examples provided they are relevant to the job.

General Declaration

All employees must complete this section of the form which asks you to sign and date the application form to say that you declare that the information you have given is true and accurate and that you have not omitted any facts which may have a bearing on your application. Any falsification of qualification or other information may lead to the withdrawal of the offer of employment, or dismissal where the employment has already commenced.

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

The information you provide on this form is treated in the strictest confidence and will not be used for shortlisting purposes. The details you supply will be kept separately to the information on the rest of the application form. If you are appointed this information will be held on your personnel record.

Data Protection

Data Protection accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Council will only use the information given on this application form to determine your suitability for this job and to monitor equal opportunities. We will keep application forms of unsuccessful candidates for six months before being destroyed.

However, as the Council has a duty to protect public funds, we may use the information you have provided on this form to prevent and detect fraud, especially in relation to benefits, Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing/Rents, salaries, employment, pensions and Councillors’ Allowances.

Individual Needs of Disabled Applicants

When completing the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, please bear in mind the Council's definition of disability as follows:

Bath & North East Somerset Council acknowledges that disability is not caused by the individual disabled person's particular impairment, but the way in which society fails to meet their needs. The term "Disabled People" has been adopted by the Council based on this definition and includes people with physical and sensory impairments, learning difficulties, and mental/emotional distress.

Disabled applicants may have individual needs in relation to the selection and interview process and every effort will be made to accommodate these. Disabled applicants are encouraged to identify any assistance or adaptation which would assist at interview and in undertaking the job applied for (eg sign language interpreter, level access, etc). The Council works closely with the Employment Service to provide facilities and support for disabled people in employment.

If you wish to be considered for a guaranteed interview under the '2 ticks' scheme, please confirm that you give permission for your details to be passed to the recruiting manager. You will only be guaranteed an interview if your application meets the essential criteria of the job.

Training and Development Policy

The Council is committed to providing an efficient, effective and appropriate service to the community which it serves and will ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve this goal including a formal induction process, ongoing training and development, supervision and annual performance reviews.

General Employment Information

Terms and Conditions of Employment

The Council is committed to providing an efficient, effective and appropriate service to the community which it serves and will ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve this goal including a formal induction process, ongoing training and development, supervision and annual performance reviews.

Probationary Period

New appointments to local government service will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a probation period. This is generally 25 weeks.

Salary

The salary for the post is as advertised and is paid monthly by bank credit on the 28th of each month. Salary for part time posts is pro rata.

Hours of Work

The standard office based working week for the Authority is a five day 37 hour week 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday; however the hours relating to the post you have applied for may vary from these. A flexible working scheme applies to some jobs within the Authority.

Annual Leave

The annual leave entitlement for new appointees is 25 days. This rises to 30 days after 5 years. In addition there are 8 paid public holidays in a year. Annual leave for part time employees is pro rata.

Pension

All employees (except those on casual contracts) are automatically admitted to the Local Government Pension Scheme from which there are opt-out provisions. It is a contracted out scheme and the contribution level varies according to salary. Your contribution rate depends on how much you’re paid, but at the present time this will be between 5.5% and 7.5% of your pensionable pay. The rate you pay depends on which pay banding you fall into. If you work part-time, your rate will be based on the whole time pay rate for your job, although you will only pay contributions on the pay you actually earn.

The Council’s normal retirement age is the same as Statutory Retirement age at 65 years. The Council’s actual date of normal retirement is the day prior to an employee’s 65th birthday. There are some circumstances where individuals may be able to work beyond the normal retirement age in line with the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

Notice Period

The notice period required is dependent on individual contracts but in most cases employees must give the Council at least four weeks' notice of their intention to end employment. Permanent employees would generally be entitled to receive a minimum of 4 weeks' notice (depending on individual contracts) and, with more than 4 years' service, a week per year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks', depending on service.

sickness Absence

The entitlements during any absence due to sickness or injury are as follows:

• During 1st year of service, one months' full pay and (after 4 months' service) two months' half pay
• During 2nd year of service, 2 months' full pay and 2 months' half pay
• During 3rd year of service, 4 months' full pay and 4 months' half pay
• During 4th and 5th years of service, 5 months' full pay and 5 months' half pay
• After 5 years service, 6 months' full pay and 6 months' half pay.

Equal Opportunities Statement

As one of the largest employers in the area, Bath & North East Somerset Council is a champion of good equal opportunity principles and practice. We recognise that discrimination can exist in many forms and through our Equal Opportunities Policy we make sure that our employees and the people we serve are not discriminated against or receive less favourable treatment on the basis of their: age, disability, gender, civil partnership or marital status, HIV status, TU activity, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, unrelated and spent criminal convictions.

Our Equal Opportunities Policy has the full support of the recognised trade unions, and all our employees are responsible for its implementation, whatever their job. The Council supports worker challenge groups for Black & Minority Ethnic staff, Disabled staff and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender staff.

The Authority has adopted recruitment procedures, which are intended to ensure that equality of opportunity exists in its recruitment process and that appointments are made on merit.

The Council has a job share policy and it may be possible to consider applications to full time jobs from people who are seeking to work on a job share. If you wish to apply on a job share basis, please make this clear on your application form.

The Council has recently introduced a Disability Leave Policy which applies to all disabled staff. Disability leave includes time when an employee is not sick but is absent from work for a disability-related reason. Disability leave is considered a reasonable adjustment under the Disability Discrimination Act. All disabled employees are able to request appropriate disability leave.

Membership of a Trade Union

As an employer, Bath & North East Somerset Council supports collective bargaining and employees are encouraged to join a relevant trade union.

No Smoking Policy

The Council has a "No Smoking Policy" which applies to all staff.

The above details are provided for the general information of applicants and are not deemed to form part of any contract of employment.