NEW members are being recruited to South Yorkshire Police Authority as a result of changes which will see the chairman having to re-apply for a place on the body.
The authority is the force's ruling body and is currently made up of councillors, magistrates and independent members.
But a Government change means the magistrate members will go from the autumn, to be replaced by independents who are selected fo
r the skills and experience they can contribute to the organisation.
Current chairman Charles Perryman is a magistrate and will have to re-apply for a position as an independent member if he wishes to continue serving on the authority.
Those wanting to apply must be able to give up around 15 hours a week to the role, which has a fixed term of four years and the authority is especially keen to hear from women, younger people and those from minority groups who reflect the social make-up of the county.
Authority vice-chairman Reg Littleboy said: "The police authority has a responsibility to make sure that local people have a say in how they are policed and to act as a bridge between communities and the police force.
"We are looking for people who are active in their local communities, who are not afraid to ask tough questions and make hard decisions. We are also looking for independent members who are good communicators and have expertise in areas such as management, race relations, business, finance, public service and the equalities field. Being a member is an exciting and challenging role and one which provides a great opportunity to make a real difference in policing for your community."
Independent members do not receive a salary but will be given an allowance plus expenses. The deadline for applications is July 31 and information is available from Stephen Walsh, telephone 01226 772 842.
The full article contains 317 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
