The Standard Commission’s role is to promote high ethical standards in public life through the promotion and enforcement of Codes of Conduct for Councilors and members of devolved public bodies.
With the agreement of the Scottish Parliament, Helen Donaldson and Anne-Marie O’Hara will be appointed as new part-time members of the commission.
The role requires each to be able to spend 24 days per year on commission business and additional days for Hearings.
The appointments are for a fixed term of 6 years. The daily fee rate is £262.83 and £35.04 per hour for Hearings.
Biographical Information
Helen Donaldson
Ms Donaldson has a long career in education. Initially an English teacher, more strategic roles followed including literacy development officer, and then management responsibilities in Aberdeenshire as a Quality Improvement Officer, then Acting Head of Early Years.
She continued in local authority work as Head of Education and Inclusion in Aberdeen City with wide ranging responsibilities within Education and Children’s Services working closely with local councillors, outside agencies and officers from across the Council.
Other roles have included working on the National Improvement Framework with Education Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Learning Directory.
Anne-Marie O'Hara
Ms O’Hara has worked in various property, charity and grant-giving roles. She was Head of the Capital Team at The BIG Lottery Fund and led the Property Planning, Projects and European Funding Team at the National Trust for Scotland.
Ms O’Hara retired recently from her post as CEO of an Edinburgh-based charity and social enterprise providing affordable space for the third sector.She is on the board of The Ethical Property Company and chairs their Governance & Human Resources Committee. She is also a non-executive director of Eala Impacts CIC and Chair of the charity Co-Housing for Independent Living.