Description of the contract
The Education Workforce Council has responsibility for:
•investigating and hearing cases against registered persons involving professional misconduct, incompetence or criminal offences;
•determining the suitability of a person to become a registered practitioner;
•adjudicating on appeals made by newly qualified school teachers against the result of their Induction period.
The Council will require the following services in relation to its fitness to practise function:
•the provision of legal advice in respect of individual fitness to practise cases. The Legal adviser should have specific experience of providing such services to other regulators and within education specifically;
•attendance in the capacity of legal adviser at Investigating Committees, Fitness to Practise Committees, Suitability Committees or Induction Appeals Committees providing legal advice as appropriate. This should be by a legal adviser with specific experience of providing such services to other regulators and within education specifically;
•to assist Council officers in delivering training to Council members;
•to assist Council officers in developing and revising internal and external procedures governing the Council’s fitness to practice work;
•to keep the Council abreast of new and developing case law in relation to disciplinary matters relevant to professional bodies.
In addition the Council requires general legal services in respect of the following activities:
Employment
The Council currently employs 29 staff, employed on permanent contracts - both full-time and part-time - and fixed term contracts. In terms of its employment obligations, the Council will require the following support:
•advice on employment law issues, as and when they arise;
•advice on new/ revised HR policies and procedures as they are written/ revised;
•to be kept abreast of developments in employment law via journals, training courses and seminars;
•HR consultancy.
Procurement
The Council will also require ad hoc advice in relation to its procurement function, including for example IT contracts. This advice will focus on reviewing and providing advice on the Council’s procurement documents, on contract law issues and assisting with the legal requirements of European tenders should they arise.
Lease: office accommodation
The Council will require advice on accommodation-related matters e.g. lease renewal.
Data Protection and Freedom of Information
The Council has developed, and maintains, a database of registered teachers in Wales. This database – and all other data held by the Council - is subject to the Data Protection Act and the Council will therefore require support and advice in ensuring it is operating within the legal framework of this Act. Similarly advice may be required in respect of Freedom of Information and Environmental Information requests, as and when necessary.
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