Eligibility and Disqualification for Appointment

The Chair of Council can be a lay person, or a registrant of the GCC. A lay person is not a registrant of the GCC, nor someone who has ever been a registrant of the GCC or who holds a qualification which would enable them to register with the GCC.

Applicants who are registrants must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council at the time of application and remain so during the full term of their appointment.

The Chair and Council Members may hold office for a maximum of eight years in any twenty years, usually in two terms.

Appointments to most public bodies are governed by regulations, which include details of the circumstances in which an individual may be disqualified from holding office. For the GCC these are set out in a statutory instrument to the Act. Annexe 1 lists the main circumstances in which an individual is disqualified from being appointed as a member of Council and applicants must have regard to this – which includes aspects relating to Fitness to Practise record – before applying.

Standards in Public Life

Members are expected to demonstrate high standards of corporate and personal conduct including impartiality, integrity and objectivity in the execution of the role and responsibilities. To ensure that these values are maintained by those in public service, all those appointed are required to subscribe to a code of conduct on appointment. The current Code of Conduct is included in Annexe 2.

Any actual or perceived conflicts of interest will be fully explored by the selection panel at interview. If you are successful in being appointed, you should note the requirement to declare any conflict of interest that arises during GCC business and the need to declare any relevant business interests, positions of authority or other connections with organisations relevant to the business of the GCC, see here for further details on conflict of interest. Applicants must also confirm that they understand the standards of probity required by public appointees outlined in “The seven principles of public life”, at Annexe 3.

Terms of Appointment

Time commitment

The Chair can expect to commit six to seven days per month, including travelling time and time spent preparing for meetings.
The Council convenes quarterly public meetings held alternately at the GCC offices in Kennington, South London and virtually, on-line. Private sessions of Council usually take place on the same day as the Council meeting. There are also additional meetings for strategy, training and development. In 2024 these will take place as a second day to Council meetings held in-person in June and December.

The successful candidate is expected to join the Council from 1 January 2024.

In 2024 meetings of Council have been scheduled on the following dates:

• 20 March 2024 (via Teams)
• 18 and 19 June 2024 (in-person)
• 25 September 2024 (via Teams)
• 5 and 6 December 2024 (in-person)

The Chair is, ex-officio, a member of the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee which meets three times a year.

Meetings of the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee are scheduled on the following dates:

• 11 April 2024 (via Teams)
• 17 July 2024 (via Teams)
• 19 November 2024 (in-person)

Remuneration

The Chair receives annual remuneration of £27,000. No additional payment will be made for preparation or travelling time. Remuneration is taxable under Schedule E and subject to Class 1 National Insurance contributions. It is not pensionable.

Applicants should be aware that this post is a public appointment, rather than a job, and is therefore not subject to the provisions of employment law.

NB. Impact of appointment on people in receipt of benefits: your appointment may influence your entitlement to benefits. If you are in receipt of benefits, you should seek advice from the Benefits Agency or visit the DWP website.

Members are eligible to claim allowances, at rates set by the GCC, for travel and subsistence costs necessarily incurred on Council business.

Training and Development

Appropriate training will be provided. An induction programme for the successful candidates will commence on appointment.

If successful we would like you to observe the meeting of:

• The Council – 5/6 December 2023 (in person)
• The Audit and Risk Committee – 6 March 2024 (in person)
• The Education Committee – 27 March 2024 (in person)

Performance Appraisal of Chair

The annual appraisal of the Chair follows the same model as for Members of Council. The appraiser of the Chair of Council is an independent person appointed by agreement between the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Chair of the Remuneration and HR Committee.