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Appointment to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

Announced
Body: Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)
Appointing Department: Department for Transport
Sector: Transport
Location: London mainly, with some nationwide travel
Number of Vacancies: Up to seven
Remuneration: £190 per day
Time Requirements: 2 days a month

Announcement

An announcement has been made on the outcome of this appointment.

View Announcement

Campaign Timeline

  • Competition Launched

    22/02/2017

  • Closed for Applications

    19/03/2017

  • Panel Sift

    03/04/2017

  • Start of Interview Dates

    18/08/2017

  • Final Interview Date

    01/09/2017

  • Announcement

    01/12/2017

Interviews to be held during the 2 weeks indicated, actual dates to be confirmed.

 

Assessment Panel

Vacancy Description

 

The Secretary of State for Transport is seeking new members of DPTAC.

DPTAC has been the Government’s statutory advisor on the transport needs of disabled people since 1986. We are seeking new members of DPTAC who have a good, practical, knowledge of transport issues nationally and of additional needs of disabled passengers and road users. Ideally new members will have an awareness of the needs of people with mental health or cognitive impairments or, a good understanding of new technology and transport, or of the built environment.

DPTAC members need to be good communicators with effective, constructive, influencing skills. Appointments are for up to 3 years and a fee is payable.

Further details are set out in the application pack, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Further information from: dptacrecruitment@dft.gsi.gov.uk

 

Person Specification

 

Role of DPTAC Members

The Committee has collective responsibility for the effective operation of DPTAC under the leadership of the Chair.

They must:

  • engage fully in collective consideration of the issues, taking account of the full range of relevant factors
  • seek to identify opportunities to improve the transport interests of disabled people through pragmatic and cost effective means
  • seek to extend understanding within the Department and the transport sector of the interests of disabled people
  • build constructive working relationships to promote DPTAC’s interests
  • focus on the agreed areas of interest – suggesting new areas of interest and agreeing these with the wider Committee.
  • uphold the standards of conduct set out in the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Seven Principles of Public Life (see annex)

 

Member Competencies

 

DPTAC members will be able to:

  • provide succinct, high quality, practical, advice
  • enthuse stakeholders
  • promote the delivery of positive change for disabled people
  • be able to work quickly and decisively, when necessary, to bring about positive change

 

Please consider the following as a guide for points to cover in your application. We do not expect applicants to demonstrate all of the attributes suggested below, however we expect to select applicants who demonstrate most of the core competencies and, ideally, some of the additional areas of expertise.

 

Core competencies

 

Knowledge, understanding and experience

 

  •  wide-ranging, detailed and up-to-date understanding of the transport needs of disabled people
  • familiar with transport issues for disabled people in different parts of the country, for example rural and urban transport issues
  • broad knowledge of wider social issues for disabled people affecting all aspects of daily life – able to appreciate the associated transport issues
  • ability to process information that is sometimes complex, including statistics
  • good understanding of the value of different sources of information – bases advice on evidence – understands when more evidence is needed
  • takes account of and values the views and opinions of disabled people and organisations and presents them in a balanced way
  • takes account of differing and conflicting situations and seeks ways to work around problems

 

Leading

  • sees the bigger picture and develops a strategic approach that focuses energy where its impact will be most effective
  • effectively influences decision makers – inspires and enthuses stakeholders.

 

People skills

  • works collaboratively and constructively to build effective partnerships
  • builds relationships in different organisations
  • offers constructive advice, and is confident to challenge and disagree in a positive way

 

Communication skills

  • communicates with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm
  • pays close attention to others’ points and communicates in ways that constructively take forward the issue under discussion
  • is able to represent DPTAC at conferences and other public forums

 

 

Additional areas of knowledge and expertise

 

Impairment specific knowledge

  • understands the needs of people with poor mental health, cognitive impairments or conditions such as autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

 

New technologies

  •  has a knowledge of new technologies in transport and how they can positively and negatively impact on disabled people. This could include technologies such as information provision and updates, connected and autonomous vehicles, and mobility as a service.

 

Built environment

  •  good level of awareness, and able to offer practical, advice on the needs of disabled people in the built environment – such as footways and public spaces. 


 

Additional Information

 

Who are DPTAC?

 

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) is an independent expert committee established by the Transport Act 1985 to advise Government on the transport needs of disabled people. The Act requires that at least half of the members are disabled.

DPTAC’s advice is independent. While sponsored by the Department for Transport, DPTAC offers its views independently of the Department. We expect there will be occasions when that advice is for the Department to do more or to act differently.

Similarly, while DPTAC gathers the views of disabled people and from organisations representing disabled people its advice is independent of those individuals or organisations. DPTAC encourages Government to do more to meet the needs of disabled people but it is not a lobbying organisation.

 

DPTAC’s vision

 

  • disabled people should have the same access to transport as everybody else, to be able to go where everyone else goes and to do so easily, confidently and without extra cost.

 

DPTAC’s objectives

 

  • to encourage disabled people to travel by public transport where it is accessible, available and affordable.
  • to provide timely, focused and independent advice to the Department on matters relating to transport for disabled people during policy development, the specification of research, evaluation of policy and on relevant consultation exercises.
  • to take account of the broad views and experiences of all disabled people and develop its advice through effective engagement with Department policy leads, the transport industry, organisations representing disabled people, and other stakeholders, and
  • to work with the Department and the industry to measure and monitor progress on delivery of the commitments in the Department’s Accessibility Action Plan and other relevant activities.

 

DPTAC’s principles

 

  • every journey is door-to-door, so consistency of experience and expectation across local, regional, national and international transport is key to ensure the outcome of accessibility is achieved.
  • no public investment, funding or approval for transport activities (including infrastructure, services, information etc) should be allowed unless it is conditional on those responsible for spending the money or delivering the services taking full account of accessibility for all disabled people.
  • service providers must make accessibility for disabled people part of the mainstream of their activities.
  • disabled users and non-users must be fully and meaningfully involved in determining the accessibility of transport services and the transport environment.
  • accessibility is the responsibility of the provider of the transport service.

 

DPTAC is a small organisation, it has a Chair and we are seeking to appoint up to eight new members through this process. It will also have a number of non-appointee “observer” members representing the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments, organisations representing disabled people and the transport sector.

 

DPTAC is required to meet at least 4 times a year and these meetings are usually held in DfT’s offices in central London. DPTAC has divided its work into workgroups covering rail, local travel (buses, taxis and also training) and research and evidence. It is likely that a further group will be established to cover driving, roads and the pedestrian environment. Members are expected to join two or more work groups and to participate in discussions either through attending meetings or through online discussion. A number of Members may be asked to take on the role of ‘Lead Member’ on specific workgroups.

 

General Information

 

The Chair and Members are appointed by Ministers. The term of appointment will run until 31st March 2020.

Successful applicants will have a good, broad understanding of the range of issues faced by disabled people in relation to transport and they will be able to deploy creative and strategic skills to maximise DPTAC’s impact.

It is likely that some applicants will be involved with organisations that represent disabled people. However, Members and the Chair are appointed as individuals, not as representatives of organisations to which they may belong. The committee is expected to offer independent advice, balancing the interests of other stakeholders and coming to a consensus that may, at times, conflict with an individual’s roles outside of the committee.

DPTAC is a non-political organisation. Members are expected to consider any potential conflict of interest, and the impact that this may have on the committee’s work. Any conflicts of interest must be discussed with the Chair and declared as necessary.

Members may claim expenses for travel and other associated costs with prior agreement, however they are responsible for making their own travel and other arrangements to attend meetings. DPTAC has access to limited administrative support to arrange meetings and pay expenses.

 

Commitments and Remuneration

Members and the Chair receive remuneration for their role. Members are required to allocate an average of two days a month to the work of the committee. Members are expected to be active in discussions and to ensure, within reason, that they are available to attend the majority of meetings. If a member chooses to contribute more time than this there is no entitlement to overtime payments. Some Members may be asked to take on the role of ‘Lead Member’ on specific workgroups. These roles may involve additional responsibilities, including chairing some workgroup meetings, and this will be reflected in the remuneration payable. The Chair and Members may also elect not to receive remuneration.

The remuneration rate for Members is £190 per day.

How to Apply

 

Applications

 

We aim to promote diversity through the public appointments process and to attract a strong and diverse field of candidates. As well as more than half of DPTAC’s members being disabled people we want to attract applicants who are representative of the wider population in terms of gender, ethnic background, age and cultural background.

Applications are required to be in the form of a simple CV and a covering letter. Your CV is useful to us to note your experience but please make your case to be a member of DPTAC in your letter.

Read the pack carefully and set out clearly in your letter how you meet the requirements – you need to explain how you meet them rather than simply say that you do meet them. Being able to present information clearly, carefully and concisely is an attribute expected of DPTAC members. Please avoid asking us to make assumptions – for example letters that say little more than “as you can see from my CV I am a good candidate to join DPTAC” are unlikely to be considered.

Please ensure that you provide the names and contact information, preferably email address and telephone number, of two referees who are able to comment on your suitability for the role.

Please send your letter and CV electronically, preferably in Word or a compatible format. Please follow good accessibility practice in terms of the presentation of your application – applications that do not may not be considered. We will consider applications in different formats to accommodate individual applicant’s communication needs – please email dptacrecruitment@dft.gsi.gov.uk if you have any questions. Please tell us when you apply if you will require impairment related support if you are called to interview.

In addition please complete the diversity monitoring form. We expect to have more suitable candidates than we have positions to offer. We will appoint applicants on merit. Where applicants are rated equally we will consider favouring based on our intention that DPTAC will have a diverse membership.

Applications must be received no later than Sunday 19th March 2017– please send them to dptacrecruitment@dft.gsi.gov.uk with the words “DPTAC Application” in the subject line.

We expect to hold interviews in the first two weeks in May and, subject to take up of references, that appointments will start in late June 2017.

 

Checklist:

 

Please ensure you have completed and included the following items with your application, we will not be able to process it without these documents:

  • Covering letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Details of at least two people who would be willing to provide references in relation to your professional experience and ability to perform the role.
  • Diversity monitoring form


 

Attachments
Monitoring-Form
OCPA Regulated

This post is regulated by The Commissioner for Public Appointments

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