I'm Cindy Butts and I'm a senior
independent panel member.
As a senior independent panel member I'm
involved in all aspects of the
recruitment process, so that's everything
from reviewing the applicant the
candidate pack involved in long listing
short listing in the interview process
so playing an active part in all of the
aspects of recruitment, but there's one
crucial difference and it's really
important so as a senior independent
panel member it's my role to guarantee
the integrity of the process to make
sure that the process aligns with the
principles and the code for public
appointments and if they don't then it's
my responsibility to highlight where
any breaches of the code may have
occurred or whether I've got any other
concerns about the way which the process
was run.
Senior Independent Panel Members
are not involved in every single
appointment they are used for the
most significant appointment so that's
appointments where perhaps the body
itself has a big budget or indeed the
role is incredibly high profile so it's
the most senior appointments and those
that have the most significant where I
would get involved.
it's really important to have senior
independent panel members involved in
senior appointments because they are the
individuals who will be independent of
the department, independent of the body
in question and also be able to provide
public reassurance that the process has
been fair it's been robust it's based on
merit, to be able to challenge and to
scrutinize and to bring that
different perspective to the table.
So after the interview stage all of the
panel members will think long and hard
and deliberate and really try and take
in to account not just candidates
performance at interview but look at all
of the information that we've gathered
so that we include the application
process any references that we've taken
and we will try and decide those
candidates who we believe are above the
line so candidates who can do the role
and we will put all of that information
together in a report and that will be
sent to to the relevant Minister and it
will be for the Minister to make the
decision we provide him with a choice
and he or she will make that final
decision.