Mansfield District Council is seeking a non-elected person to be a member of its Independent Panel into Members Allowances.

The council is required, by law, to have a Scheme of Allowances, which reflect the various roles and duties undertaken by elected members of the authority.

The scheme is reviewed every four years by a panel of three independent non-elected members of the public, who make recommendations about how the scheme should operate and how much elected members should be paid in allowances.

Expressions of interest in the role should be sent to the council, in writing or by email, by Sunday 18 December.

Interim head of law and governance Jacqueline Collins said: “Ideally, the person will have an understanding of the structure of local authorities. It would also be advantageous to have some knowledge of how councils with a directly-elected mayor operate.”

The council is required to hold a meeting of the panel in January or February. It is held at the Civic Centre and lasts about four hours, during which representations are made by elected members and officers. The panel then produces a report with recommendations to the Full Council on 8 March.

Reasonable expenses are paid for panel members’ time.

To express an interest in the position, please apply in writing to the Interim Head of Law and Governance, either by letter, or by emailing [email protected] by Sunday, 18 December.