Council seeks person to work four days a month for £30k a year in Milton Keynes

They are this week inviting applications for the position of independent chairperson of Milton Keynes Development Partnership, known as MKDP.

This is a council-owned commercial partnership set up to get the best price for the city's land assets, mainly by selling them off for development.

It generates revenue and capital reserves to repay the original £32m land acquisition costs in MK and provide the council with a regular annual income.

The new recruit will take the chair at board and committee meetings, build on the existing working relationship and help submit the MKDP Business Plan to the council.

In 2020, it is expected that MKDP’s remit will be expanded to take on the role as a major housing enabler, to help increase the amount affordable housing needed to meet the growing housing needs across the borough.

Alongside its commercial business, MKDP is expected to help address key issues including homelessness, placemaking, Renaissance CMK, and the reinvigoration of the National Bowl Arena.

The council is advertising the independent chair's position with a salary of £30,000 a year, plus “reasonable allowances” for travel and subsistence where appropriate.

The job description states: “Time commitment is expected to be an average of four days a month, although this may vary in the initial period of activity.

The appointment will be for up to four years and candidates should have experience at executive level with “an impressive track record of promoting and profitably delivering high profile development and regeneration projects”.

They should also be familiar with public sector involvement at a local and national level, and should understand the public consultation process, including how to react to community views and concerns.

MKDP's control and management is vested in the board of directors, which is made up of nine members - three elected councillors, the independent chair, the chief executive of MKC and four independent members.