Harrogate Borough Council

Recruitment and Selection Process

Job Vacancies in Partnership with 'jobsgopublic'

You can view Harrogate Borough Council jobs through the jobsgopublic website (opens in a new window)

We are working with them to further develop the application process including applying online.

How to Apply on the website

You will be able to see the job advert, the job description and the person specification (i.e. a document which tells you about the essential criteria that a person must have, to be able to successfully perform the job role).

You will be able to download the Council's application form from this site, complete it electronically and e-mail it back to us at the specific e-mail address shown in each advert. Vacancies are handled by each department and are not centrally controlled.

Alternatively, you can request a full application pack from the department concerned and this will be sent to you by post.

Application Forms Only Please, No CVs

The Council will not accept CVs for any of its job vacancies. General applications should not be made for possible future vacancies. Applications will only be considered if they are made on the Council's application form.

Equal Opportunities and Monitoring

Equality of opportunity is important to the Council and we monitor our vacancies in order to produce information about the profile of our applicants, our shortlisted candidates and successful candidates. As you would probably expect, this information deals with age, sex, ethnic back-ground, disability and other information that will help us to ensure that all groups within society are being fairly treated. In this regard, we request that you complete the monitoring form. However, please note that you are not under any legal obligation to supply this information. The definition of a disabled person under the Disability Discrimination Act is someone who has a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities. In order to assist with identification of ethnic origin we have used categories approved by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Ethnic origin questions are not about nationality, place of birth or citizenship. They are about colour and broad ethnic group.

Data Protection

The personal information that you supply to the Council in support of your application will only be used for its intended purpose, that is, recruitment and selection. The successful candidate's application form will be kept for the duration of their employment and all other application forms will be destroyed within a few months of their receipt. Equal opportunities monitoring forms will be separated from the application forms at the time of receipt. These will only be used for monitoring purposes and they too will be destroyed within a few months.

Acknowledging Receipt

We sometimes receive a large number of applications for posts, therefore applications will not be acknowledged. Short listing is undertaken soon after the closing date of advertisements. If you have not been contacted within four weeks of the closing date, then you have not been shortlisted.

Travelling Costs

The Council will pay reasonable travelling costs for those travelling from outside the District. In the case of those living outside the UK this will be restricted to reasonable costs from the point of entry into the UK. These costs should be discussed and agreed beforehand with the Department concerned.

Work Permits

In order to comply with the Immigration, Asylum & Nationality Act 2006, all candidates are required to provide proof, at interview, of their entitlement to live and work in the UK. Please bring with you the original of:-

A passport, showing you are a British Citizen or a national of the EEA or Switzerland.

A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indication permanent residence.

A Biometric Immigration Document or an Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office or Border and Immigration Agency which states you can remain indefinitely or you can stay and are allowed to do the work applied for.

A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK or has the right of abode in the UK.

If none of the above, then an official document giving details of your permanent National Insurance Number plus one of the following, full birth certificate (must include the name(s) of at least one parent) or a full adoption certificate, certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British Citizen, or official letter stating leave to remain in UK indefinitely.

A passport or travel document endorsed to showing that you are allowed to stay in the UK and allowed to do the type of work applied for, providing that it does not require the issue of a work permit.

An official document bearing a National Insurance number, plus a birth certificate, or a letter from the Home Office, or an Immigration Status Document.

A work permit, plus either a passport or a letter from the Home Office, which in either case must confirm that the holder has permission to enter or remain in the UK and take the work permit employment in question.

References

Unless you ask us not to, we will request references for candidates who are shortlisted, prior to interviews taking place. One of the references you supply must be your current or last employer if you are not currently working. Neither reference should be that of a family member or close personal friend. If you wish to withhold permission to contact referees, clear reasons should be given on the application form or in a covering letter.

Qualifications

It is Council policy to verify qualifications stated in candidates' applications, at interview. You should therefore bring certificates with you if invited for interview.

Declaration of Relationship

All applicants must state in writing whether they are the parent, grandparent, partner, child, step-child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece of an existing employee or councillor, or partner of such persons. There is space for this information on the application form In Section 1, Personal Details.

If such a relationship is not disclosed, the applicant may be disqualified for the appointment and if appointed will be liable to dismissal without notice. Depending on the circumstances, any officer implicated in such non-disclosure may be dismissed for gross misconduct.

Job Sharing

The Council operates a job sharing policy for all of its full-time posts. Applicants may apply as a job sharing couple or the Council will find a job share partner if this is possible. An offer of a job sharing arrangement will only be made on the understanding that if the Council cannot find a job share partner, the offer will be withdrawn. The Council has many job sharing employees working successfully. If you wish to apply for a vacancy as a job-sharer, you will need to indicate this on the application form.

Disclosure Posts

The Council uses the Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure Service to help it make safer recruitment decisions when employing people into positions of trust. It will reduce the risk of employing a person who may have an unsuitable background to work with children, vulnerable adults or occupations set out in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position. Before withdrawing an offer of employment the Council will discuss with the applicant any matters revealed in Disclosure information.

The Council encourages all applicants called for interview to provide details of their criminal record at an early stage in the application process. We request that you provide details of the offence, dates, sentences, fines or other penalty in a sealed envelope marked Rehabilitation of Offenders Information with your application. The information will be treated in confidence and will be destroyed if your application is unsuccessful.

The Council follows the Criminal Record Bureau's Code of Practice. The Council has policies on the Recruitment of Ex Offenders and on the Secure, Correct Handling and Safekeeping of Disclosure Information.

If you are offered a post, which is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, then you will be asked to complete an application form for Disclosure information, which will include the, "Guidance for Disclosure Applicants". Deliberate failure to disclose full details will result in your application being rejected or may lead to your later dismissal.

Positive About Disabled People

If you indicate on your application form that you are disabled and you meet the essential criteria on the Person Specification, you will be guaranteed an interview. If you are unable to meet some of the requirements of the job specifically because of your disability, please address this in your application. If you meet all other essential criteria, you will be shortlisted and we will explore jointly with you ways in which the job can be changed to enable you to meet the requirements. This could include adjustment to premises and equipment or job duties. Appointment to all posts will be on merit.

Probation Period

New entrants to local government will be subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period of six months, during which they are expected to establish their suitability for the post.

Medical Clearance

The appointment is subject to the completion of a medical clearance. A medical examination may be required.

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