Selecting your Neighbourhood Board
How the Neighbourhood Board was selected
A fair, transparent and inclusive process was used to appoint the Independent Chair and 13 members of the Little Ilford Neighbourhood Board. The process aimed to select people based on the strength of their applications while ensuring the Board reflects the diversity, lived experience, skills and communities of Little Ilford.
The opportunity was widely promoted through Newham Council, local organisations, community groups, faith organisations, businesses, online networks and in-person engagement. No previous Board experience or formal qualifications were required, and applicants were asked about their connection to Little Ilford, their motivation for applying, and the skills, knowledge and lived experience they could bring.
9 applications were received for the Independent Chair role and 60 applications for the Neighbourhood Board.
Selecting the Chair
Chair applications were assessed against a consistent set of criteria, including leadership and facilitation skills, independence, ability to bring together different perspectives, commitment to inclusion and connection to Little Ilford.
Shortlisted candidates were invited to an interview with a selection panel involving representatives from Newham Council, the local MP's office and an independent advisor. Following the interviews and panel deliberation, Mubeen Hussain was appointed as Independent Chair. References, declarations of interest and proportionate due-diligence checks were also completed before the appointment was confirmed.
Selecting Board members
Board applications were assessed using the same transparent scoring framework. The strongest candidates were invited to a short conversation to explore their connection to Little Ilford, motivation, availability, communication and collaborative approach.
Final selection considered both the strength of individual applications and the collective balance of the Board. This included skills and experience, local knowledge, lived experience and representation across age, gender, ethnicity, faith, disability and other aspects of life experience. At least 51% of voting Board members are required to live or work within the agreed Pride in Place boundary.
The final Board was formed following this process, with 13 members appointed alongside the Independent Chair. Applicants who were not selected were thanked for their interest and, where appropriate, invited to stay involved as Pride in Place Champions, with further opportunities to join the Board expected throughout the 10-year programme.