We are looking for an Independent Neighbourhood Chair to help lead the Pride in Place programme in Paulsgrove. This is a 10‑year programme focused on improving local opportunities, strengthening community voices and supporting long‑term investment in the area.
If you have skills and experiences in bringing teams together and making sure that everyone has their voices heard, that would be ideal, but the most important thing is that you care deeply about your area and the people living, working and learning there. Training and expenses are available.
About the Pride in Place programme
The Government published the Pride in Place Strategy on 25 September. The strategy aims to restore local pride, tackle deprivation and empower communities to make decisions about their neighbourhoods.
The programme is designed to be:
- community-led – local people help shape the Pride in Place Plan
- flexible – Boards choose what to invest in and when
- long-term – funding is guaranteed over 10 years to support lasting change
- supportive – communities receive help to bring their ideas to life
Find the map showing the boundary of the Paulsgrove area as described by Government, although there may be minor change before the programme starts delivery.
Neighbourhood Board
Neighbourhood Boards are being set up in every funded area. They work in partnership with the local authority, the local MP and central government.
The Board will produce a 10‑year Pride in Place Plan based on three objectives:
- stronger communities
- thriving places
- taking back control
Role of the Independent Chair
Each Board will be led by an independent Chair – someone who can bring communities together to share their ideas in an open and collaborative way.
The Chair’s primary job is to be a champion for their place and to embody the community-led spirit of the programme. The Chair should have a deep connection to Paulsgrove and can be new to this kind of work. What matters most is a commitment to seeing change through and improving the lives of those in their community.
Person specification
The independent Chair should act as a proactive, trustworthy convenor who:
- is deeply connected to the Paulsgrove area and fiercely committed to making it an even better place to live
- can bring together different voices from across the community, to shape a collective vision for the future of their place
- has local credibility and will be respected as a leader – even if this is their first leadership role
- ensures that all voices are heard and that Board discussions are collaborative
- is adept at finding consensus, navigating conflict calmly and impartially, never allowing ego to get in the way of progress
- brings together community groups and prioritises community engagement as a central pillar of the programme
- is clear about their own knowledge gaps and considers how the makeup of the Board complements this
- thinks laterally and creatively about solutions to problems and ways to draw in community voices
- acts as a public face and represents the Board externally and brings figures of different political stripes together
Skills and abilities
The Independent Chair also need to be:
- fair and balanced, ensuring that all voices are heard
- good at facilitating conversations, particularly when differences of opinion emerge
- open to learning, feedback and development, and an interest in mentoring and upskilling others
- welcoming, open and listens deeply to others
- calm under pressure and manages conflict well
It is essential that the Chair has the time available to prioritise the role.
Role terms and conditions
In most circumstances we expect this role to be voluntary, similar to a school governor or charity trustee. Reasonable expenses will be covered, for example, relating to travel or equipment. However, to ensure that Neighbourhood Boards have the right leadership, and to open the position up to candidates who might otherwise be unable to put themselves forward, we would be prepared to consider a small basic payment may from the programme’s dedicated capacity funding to remunerate Chair time. This would be subject to discussion and agreement and would be in exceptional circumstances.
The Independent Chair will be expected to declare transparently and other interests or relationships, both personal and pecuniary. The Independent Chair will also be required to sign a Code of Conduct and model this to wider Neighbourhood Board members.
How to apply
To express interest in the Independent Chair role, email independentchair@portsmouthcc.gov.uk with a statement explaining:
- your connection to the Paulsgrove area
- your experience that demonstrate the skills and abilities required
- your capacity to undertake the role, your availability to start and any support you would need (including financial support if required)
The deadline for expressions of interest is Sunday 15 March. Applications will be considered by the local authority and local MP. Selected candidates will be invited to a discussion during the week beginning 16 March.