The Charity Commission has invited 22 people to interview for the four or five positions available on its board.

The regulator received 278 applications in total for the posts, which will start on 1 April. Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude will make the appointments.

The positions will be remunerated at a rate of £350 per day for 12 to 18 days work per year.  The term of office is three years.

Recently, the Commission’s new chair William Shawcross said a number of “politically active people” had applied, even though the job description clearly states that candidates invited to interview must declare any significant political activity undertaken in the last five years and that this may well create a conflict of interest with the board role.

Interviews will begin next week.

The new board members will take over from those that have served mainly under the chairmanship of Dame Suzi Leather for the last few years: John Knight, whose term ended on 30 November 2012; Sharmila Nebhrajani and Simon Wethered, who will both step down on 31 March 2013, and Theo Sowa, whose term ends on 13 July 2013. John Wood will serve for a further year, until 31 January 2014.