Role of the citizens’ panel
The role of the citizens’ panel is to act as a critical friend giving appropriate challenge through independent consideration of how the IMA operates its business to the IMA.
The panel will be made up of EU and EEA EFTA citizens to ensure their views of living in the UK and Gibraltar post Brexit are reflected upon by the IMA in the way it provides its services.
Membership and Attendance
The panel will be made up of approximately 60-90 citizens from European countries.
All efforts will be made to ensure the panel has a balanced and diverse membership which reflects the 27 EU countries and the EEA EFTA countries of Iceland, Lichtenstein, and Norway.
The panel will be chaired by the Chief Executive of the IMA, who may, if they so choose, nominate a Director or Senior Manager as a deputy to chair the committee in their absence.
Process
The citizens’ panel will meet twice a year. Once in Autumn and again in Spring. Meetings will take place virtually.
Agendas for the meeting will be agreed by the Chair and will be issued to all panel members seven days in advance of the meeting along with instructions for how to join the meeting.
Responsibilities and Code of Conduct
The role of the panel is to act as a critical friend to the IMA.
Panel members will share their personal experiences of being EU and EEA EFTA citizens and may reflect upon how the IMA is taking these experiences into account in the way that it undertakes its business.
They may challenge the IMA to ensure that we are embracing one of our key values of putting people at the heart of everything we do.
The panel will meet twice a year. Meetings will take place using an online platform as it is expected that members will live across the UK and Gibraltar.
It is expected that all panel members will adhere to the code of conduct as outlined below:
- Living the values of the IMA of being people-centered, listening, independent, transparent and impartial
- Maintaining independence and objectivity
- Treating all panel members with respect
- Respecting the confidentiality of the meetings
- Acting in the best interest of the IMA and putting aside any personal interest to avoid conflict of interest
- Not using the panel to advance any personal complaints or those of others
- Not seeking to disrupt the orderly conduct of the meetings
- Regularly attending the bi-annual meetings.
If a member of the panel does not respect the code of the conduct, they can be asked to leave the meeting at the discretion of the Chair. If they continue not to adhere to the code of conduct in future activity, especially where it may bring the reputation of the IMA into disrepute, they will be asked to leave the citizens’ panel, again, at the discretion of the Chair.
Selection of panel members
The recruitment process for the panel is open and transparent. Selection will take place on the basis of completion of a form which asks for a short statement on why the applicant wishes to be part of the panel.
Anyone who is aged 16 or above and is an EU and EEA EFTA citizen living in the UK or Gibraltar will be eligible to apply. Panel members are appointed to contribute in a personal capacity and are not expected to represent the collective views of others.
The panel will have approximately between 60 and 90 members at any one time.
Panel members will typically serve for 2 years to ensure there is both continuity and flexibility to bring in new voices.
Transparency
A summary of each meeting will be circulated to members within 48 hours of the meeting. once approved by the Chair.
Conflicts of Interest
Any panel member who becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest relating to matters to be discussed by the citizens’ panel must give prior notification to the Chair. If this is not possible, or if the conflict only becomes apparent at the meeting, they should declare this at the meeting and, where necessary, withdraw during discussion of the relevant agenda item.
Review
A review of the citizens’ panel and its terms of reference will be undertaken by the IMA Board every 12 months.