Invitation
This is an invitation to residents to apply to join the new Hammersmith & Fulham Resident Access Co-production (working together) Implementation Group (RACIG)
The group will help make sure that any changes to improve the way residents access council services work well for all of the borough’s residents.
When we talk about co-production we mean that residents and decision makers are working together in an active way to plan, design and review policy and services that affect our lives, to get rid of the barriers we face.
Why we are doing this
The council wants to offer more services online.
We want to ensure that everyone experiences a better, more accessible service.
We want to deliver any change carefully.
We want to improve policies, processes and resident satisfaction – ensuring that we get things right first time.
We want to co-produce change ensuring it works well for all the borough’s residents.
How can you help
We want to establish the Hammersmith & Fulham Resident Access Co-production Implementation Group (RACIG) of residents to co-produce the different and new ways residents access many of the council’s services and the way we manage change.
The group will decide what elements of the work they lead on and what elements they support.
The group will help the council to engage with a wide range of residents about the changes we are making.
Structure of the group
- Two co-chairs including one resident and one councillor.
Eight to ten members
- Two senior representatives from the council
- Up to two councillors or cabinet members
- At least 4 representative residents
There may be other people as and when needed.
Membership of the group will be reviewed to ensure it continues to reflect the skills and experiences needed. The first review will be April 2020.
How often the group meets
The group will meet at least eight times a year. This is a paid role. Each member will be paid £50 for each meeting that they attend and £30 per hour for any extra work that is agreed.
Who are we looking for?
People who live in Hammersmith & Fulham
Residents who have experience in managing change or running projects.
Residents who experience barriers to accessing council services, particularly Disabled residents.
Residents who have experience of using council services such as council tax, parking permits, benefits (for example free school meals, housing benefit) street cleansing, Blue Badges
Skills and experience
We are looking for residents who have experience or skills in the following areas:
- Working on a project or policy change that set out to bring about change in people’s lives.
- Being able to use your skills to help turn a project into practice.
- Working in co-production to bring about change.
- Inclusive community engagement work.
- Working on committees or steering groups that make sure change is put into place.
- Removing barriers to information, services, community participation
- Working knowledge of digital accessibility
- Understanding of the social model of disability, equality, diversity, and human rights.
Selection process
We will shortlist applications using the information you give about your experience and skills.
We will invite residents who have been shortlisted to an informal interview.
After the interviews, membership of the group will be confirmed. We will make sure that the group includes the diversity of residents in the borough in its work.
Applications will be looked at by a number of people including a member of Hammersmith & Fulham Co-production Implementation Group (H&FCIG), a councillor and a senior council manager.
H&FCIG is a group of Disabled residents working together with the council and other organisations to build a culture that values and respects Disabled people living in the borough, removing barriers faced by Disabled residents and helping transform local public policy and services.
How to apply
Please send us your CV by post or by email, plus a covering letter setting out how you meet the skills and experience points in this document.
Tell us if you want to apply for the role in a different way or in a different format.
Please include your contact details such as email address or telephone number in your application and let us know how you would prefer to be contacted.
Send your application to:
Shannon Francis-Locker, Project Officer
Public Services Reform
Hammersmith & Fulham Council
Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, W6 9JU
Or email your application to Shannon.Francis-Locker@lbhf.gov.uk
If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Francis-Locker by email or on 020 8753 2322.
This is an ongoing recruitment process, if you are interested please contact Shannon for more details.
We’ll respond to all applications.
- Appendix 1 - Draft terms of reference for the Hammersmith & Fulham Resident Access Co-production Implementation Group (RACIG)
Co-production (working together) means that Disabled residents and decision makers are working together in an active way to plan, design and review policy and services that affect our lives, to get rid of the barriers we face.
This RACIG will be fully aligned to relevant resident-led commissions in the borough as relates to the scope of the council’s Resident Access Programme.
The group will establish a way of working to assure co-production in the planning, delivery and evaluation of major programmes of work and change to the services that are provided by the council.
It will be supported by and report to the Hammersmith and Fulham Co-Production Implementation Group, as the first established group of its kind for implementing major change.
1 Aims
1.To provide the energy, leadership and strategic development to ensure that the planning, delivery and evaluation of the Residents Access Programme is resident led.
2.To ensure that the priority areas of work coming from the relevant resident-red commissions, as relates to this programme, are understood defined and delivered.
3.To encourage a culture of co-production that enables all residents to actively engage with the council, as true and equal partners, to make Hammersmith & Fulham a borough that values and respects the equality and diversity of all its residents.
2 Membership
Membership of the group will consist of:
8 – 10 members
- 2 senior representatives from the council
- At least 4 representative residents (paid role)
- Up to 2 councillors/Cabinet members
2 x co-chairs – 1 resident & 1 councillor who are the public faces of the group.
Chairing of meetings will be on rotation amongst its members.
Membership of the group will be reviewed annually to ensure it continues to reflect the skills needed to implement the work. First review April 2020.
3 Role of members
- When representing the RACIG at other meetings, members to only feedback what has been agreed by the group and not personal views.
- If members cannot attend pre-meetings, then any issues they want to be discussed should be sent to the agreed contact person prior to pre-meetings
- Issues as a rule relating to individuals should not be raised by members during the meetings.
- Members should read all papers sent to them prior to meetings. This will help the co-chairs keep to what is normally a very tight agenda in relation to time and content.
4 Non attendance of members
At the point that members join the RACIG, members will be asked about any support they may need if they cannot attend meetings and/or other RACIG related activities. If a member has not attended two consecutive meetings, a meeting/phone call will be organised to discuss if any additional support can be offered and to identify a plan to facilitate attendance or by mutual agreement, temporary or permanent stepping down from the RACIG.
5 Support and accessibility
RACIG will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills required to work as equal partners in the work of the group.
Some members may also have access requirements and or practical support needs to enable them to participate. These access needs will be facilitated by council officers who should be made aware of any needs in enough time prior to any meetings.
6 Meetings
- RACIG will meet regularly at least 8 meetings per year. A calendar of meetings will be agreed by the co-chairs and communicated to all members.
- RACIG will be co-chaired by a councillor member and a resident member.
- RACIG administration arrangements will need to be provided by the Public Services Reform (PSR) at Hammersmith & Fulham Council including arrangement of meetings and pre meetings.
- All meetings shall be held in venues accessible to all group members.
- To ensure meetings are inclusive and accessible, a ‘Making Meetings Inclusive’ list has been developed – see Appendix 2
- Observers may be invited or can request to attend a meeting, provided this has been agreed by the co-chairs. Observers will normally not be allowed to be involved in the formal business of the meeting unless requested by a co-chair.
7 Decision-making arrangements
To decide on issues discussed at the group, 50% plus 1 of group membership must be present at any meeting. Ideally decisions should be reached by consensus. Where there is no consensus the final decision should be jointly made by the co-chairs.
8 Meeting papers
Papers will be sent out, in the required formats, at least 5 working days prior to the RACIG meeting.
Agenda, minutes, and meeting papers (including presentations) will be distributed to all in line with the agreed meeting protocol.
9 Confidentiality
RACIG meetings are not open to the public but agendas, minutes and papers may be circulated outside of the group membership circulation list.
The agreed PSR management arrangement will maintain a confidential database of members contact and access details ensuring that they are compliant with GDPR rules All members of the group to be asked permission and agree for their contact details to be shared for this purpose
10 Conflicts of interest
Members of the group will be responsible for letting the co-chairs know if they are involved with anything which might affect any decision made by the group.
The co-chairs may exclude any member from any part of the meeting if an agenda item is deemed to present a conflict of interest to any group member.
11 Terms of Reference (TOR) review
The ToR will be reviewed annually, including the membership of the RACIG and chairing arrangements, with the next review scheduled April 2020.
- Appendix 2 - Making meetings inclusive
- Make every effort to turn up on time.
- At the start of each meeting, go around the table and ask people to introduce themselves.
- Respect what each person needs to join in the meeting.
- Switch off mobile phones or keep on silent if necessary.
- Everyone can have a break at any point if they feel they need it.
- Listen to each other.
- Only one person speaks at a time.
- Do not interrupt speaker. If you need to, ask the chairperson.
- Use accessible language.
- Do not talk for too long.
- Be aware that covering your mouth when speaking might make it difficult for people to read your lips or hear what you say.
- Keep the discussion relevant.
- Use words in full, like Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Respect and value that everyone is different and will think differently about things.
- Recognise that it is the idea or concept that is being challenged not us personally.
- Presume everyone is doing their best and approach situations with forgiveness and humour. If you don’t understand what someone is saying, please hold up a card or ask them to repeat it or explain it. You are probably not the only person who doesn’t understand.
- In any reports or discussions after meetings, do not use people’s names when personal things have been discussed.
- We agree to respect the person chairing the meeting and their need to manage time effectively.
- We agree to give gentle reminders to each other if we forget what we have agreed in this list.
- Glossary
Social model of disability This is when Disabled people are seen as people with impairments who are ‘disabled’ by the barriers in society. These barriers discriminate against Disabled people and push us out of society. It is the way society is run and organised that is the problem, not the Disabled person.
Human rights way - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities This is an international agreement that the government signed up to, to bring about the full rights of Disabled people in the UK.
Co-production (working together) means that Disabled residents and decision makers are working together in an active way to plan, design and review policy and services that affect our lives, to get rid of the barriers we face.