General Secretary Election - Procedure

In order to assist with the discussion regarding the selection of the next Napo General Secretary and some confusion having already surfaced regarding process, it would probably be helpful to have a look at that process:-

BR 25/2018 CW/KW 10th May 2018 

To: NEC Branch Chairs & Secretaries Family Court SEC 

Dear Colleague 

Procedure for Election of General Secretary 2018 

Between now and noon on 4th June 2018, Branches and the Family Court Section have the opportunity to nominate candidates (one per branch/section) for inclusion in the ballot for General Secretary which is due to take place between 7th June 2018 and 28th June 2018. The result will be announced on 29th June 2018. 

Those eligible for nomination by Branches and the Family Court Section are listed below. They are the individuals who originally applied for the post and have subsequently indicated they wish to seek Branch/Section nomination. A brief note is given regarding their progress through the selection procedure so far. Also attached for ease of reference are: 

1. Job description for General Secretary 

2. Person Specification 

3. Election Procedure 

4. Nomination form for General Secretary Elections (NEC 18 2018) 

Taken together, these documents should assist Branches and the Section in making a nomination. Statements from each of the two candidates are also appended. 

Names of candidates seeking branch nomination: 

• Ian Lawrence – interviewed by Employers Sub-Committee 09.05.18 
• Michael Rolfe - interviewed by Employers Sub-Committee on 09.05.18

As with any ballot, we wish to impress upon Branches the importance of returning your nomination forms and encouraging members to take part in the overall ballot to ensure voting numbers are high during the current climate. 

Please note that the nomination forms must be returned to Napo by noon on Monday 4th June 2018 – please follow the instructions on the form. 

Yours sincerely 

CHRIS WINTERS & KATIE LOMAS National Co-Chairs

--oo00oo--

Election Procedure 

1. Post is advertised 

2. Applicants are sent an application form and an information pack, including this procedure. 

3. Applicants are shortlisted by an employers’ sub-committee of the National Executive Committee (NEC), consisting of 5 members of the NEC, including the Chair and Treasurer. 

4. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by the employers’ sub-committee to determine which of them would be able to meet Napo’s requirements, thus producing a list of “electable” candidates. This list, together with a statement from each of the electable candidates, of no more than 500 words, is then sent to NEC members and to branches. 

5. A meeting of the NEC will consider the list of electable candidates. Each of them shall be invited to attend that NEC where they will be asked pre-determined questions. Each candidate will be asked the same questions and will then be given the opportunity to make a statement in support of their application for candidature. The NEC will then decide which candidate it wishes to nominate for election. 

6. Branch meetings will then consider the list of electable candidates. The candidates will not be able to attend branch meetings because this could unfairly discriminate against some of them. Branches will, however, have the benefit of a report from their NEC Representative who will have attended the NEC, and the candidates’ own statements. Branches will then be able to nominate any one of the electable candidates.

7. The final list of nominated candidates will be put to a postal ballot of all full members. In the event of there being only one nominated candidate that person will be elected unopposed without recourse to a ballot.