Hereford is looking for an experienced professional to help this beautiful, historic city fulfil our huge potential.
We are a city with a population of 58,000 and an annual budget of £1m with big ambitions, and need a Town Clerk with energy, vision and determination to drive our unique city forward.
The City Council is committed to:
* supporting the local community including through our grants system
* continuing our Stronger Towns project to provide a free city electric bus service
* respecting the history and tradition of the City through civic ceremonies and the collection of charters and silver
* representing the City on local planning and licensing applications
* working with the local authority Herefordshire Council
If you like the sound of this challenge, have the ability to cope with a diverse and varied role and can deliver excellent management across all areas we would like to hear from you. Ideally you will already be a qualified clerk or be prepared to study for that qualification within a year of appointment. You will need local government experience and be able to act as our Responsible Financial Officer. You will need to be able to run meetings, prepare agendas and reports, and take minutes.
The salary is paid on national rates SCP 46-49 £55,325 to £59,418 and is full time with 23 days annual leave with three extra statutory days at Christmas. The post is on standard NJC conditions of service. The hours are 37 per week with evening meetings and weekend work as required.
Job Activities:
Business Plan Functions
* To prepare a draft business plan for approval at the start of each administration taking into account the priorities given by members at early meetings.
* To prepare and implement an annual business plan based on the four year plan.
* To align staff activity to the delivery of the annual and four year plan.
Staff Management Functions
* To carry out appraisals and half yearly and other periodic reviews of each member of staff to verify performance against objectives set within the business plan and identify any matters which are preventing or impeding progress ensuring accurate records are kept.
* To identify training needs and establish with each member of staff a personal development plan to enable them to develop their contribution.
* To monitor the effectiveness of training and other staff development activity.
* To set and maintain professional standards throughout the staff team acting when necessary to uphold these standards.
* To manage attendance, sickness, annual leave, time off in lieu, shared diary for all staff and other data within established procedures.
* To monitor and advise members and staff on any changes to employment law or national agreements that may require the Council’s HR policies or procedures to be updated.
Responsible Financial Officer Functions
* To ensure as the Council’s s151 officer that it continues to manage finance and resources within the requirements of law and established best practice.
* To ensure that annual accounts are completed, closed and presented for internal and external audit in accordance with agreed timetables and professional standards.
* To ensure that an annual budget is presented to Council and agreed to enable a council tax level and precept to be declared within the applicable timetable.
* To ensure that income and expenditure is monitored and that regular reports are presented to members of Council in the agreed format including meeting the transparency code.
* To ensure that the Council’s financial transactions are correctly recorded and that proper accounts are kept through the financial year as verified by the internal auditor.
* To ensure that the Council has adequate insurance cover for all its insurable risks.
* To prepare and present to members an annual risk assessment report identifying risk levels, advising on acceptable levels, mitigation measures and the levels of insurance required for those risks deemed necessary.
* Ensure annual payments/subscriptions are processed including any fees.
Proper Officer Functions
* To advise members of the options available to them on matters raised at meetings, upon which their decisions are required, ensuring that advice is professionally competent and free of bias.
* To keep under continuous review the legal framework within which the Council operates advising members of changes or proposed changes to law or public policy which may affect the operations or scope of a parish council.
* To ensure that the Council remains eligible to claim the power of general competence.
* To ensure that all meetings are called within the legally required timescales and in the proper manner and that all agendas are properly presented.
* To advise the Mayor and committee chairs on points of procedure to ensure that business is conducted in a lawful manner and legally competent decisions are made and recorded.
* To research and present all legally available options to members on any matter before them and verify reports written by officers to make sure they enable decisions to be made within the Wednesbury test of reasonableness.
* To minute, or arrange for minutes to be made, of all formal meetings of Council or its committees to ensure that resolutions are accurately recorded and sufficient details of discussion is recorded to show proper consideration of all relevant matters.
* To monitor the effectiveness of procedures and report any difficulties or issues that have arisen which may require updates.
* To advise members when periodic reviews of policies or procedures are due and to advise them of options available for changes.
* To advise members when changes to public law require a change to Council procedures or policies.
* To act as Proper Officer by maintaining contracts and other legal agreements entered into by the Council in a safe and secure manner.
* To arrange for contractor performance to be adequately monitored and for exception reports requiring decisions on terminations of contracts or changes to working arrangements to be reported to members.
* To carry out the sealing of documents when necessary in accordance with mandates given by Council.
* To ensure members have appropriate specialist advice when required.
Representational Functions
* To negotiate on behalf of the Council within mandates given by members at committee or council including (but not limited to):
* Leading negotiations on designated service level agreements and contracts with potential suppliers of services to the Council.
* Acting as the Council’s procurement officer for external contracts ensuring proper procedures for tendering and assessment of risk and value for money are carried out.
* Negotiating service level agreements with voluntary sector providers in receipt of recurring grants.
* Negotiating with Herefordshire Council on property matters in conjunction with the Chair of Policy and Resources and other members, related to the Town Hall, joint service delivery initiatives and other partnership working and joint funding of Herefordshire Council activities.
* Representing the Council as appropriate at meetings of joint bodies public sector, private sector and voluntary sector bodies.
* Addressing statutory bodies such as Herefordshire Council committees, planning inspectors etc on behalf of the Council either orally and/or in writing and contributing within Council policies to external consultation and policy formulation exercises.
* To arrange for the Council’s objections to be presented to Herefordshire’s Planning Committee.
* To represent the City Council on any bodies reviewing planning, transport or environmental policies or strategies.
Ceremonial Functions
* To agree with members and designated lead officer a programme of major civic ceremonial events including mayor-making, annual thanksgiving service, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day and the opening of the May Fair.
* To manage and organise a programme of identified annual civic ceremonies, ie mayor-making, Armistice Day, May Fair.
* To ensure that the major civic events are properly budgeted, planned, delivered and to hold “wash up” meetings after each one to identify any points of improvement to be built into future plans.
* To co-ordinate with the staff designated to supporting the mayoralty the smooth and efficient running of the Mayor’s Office during each incumbent’s year in office, ensuring the external contacts receive a favourable impression of the mayoralty and Council.
* To prepare and where necessary update a mayoral handbook on best practice and other practical advice for incoming mayors.
* To keep under review the organisation of staffing support to the mayoralty to ensure it is cost effective and flexible to meet the needs of each incoming mayor, reporting as appropriate to Policy and Resources Committee.
* To keep under review the costs associated with the Mayoralty and raise any issue with the Policy and Resources Committee.
* To monitor the development of the Youth Council and to review its working relationship with the Council to ensure the best possible representation of youth opinion within Council decision making.
Person Specification:
Experience
* Significant recent experience of effective staff management
* Significant recent experience of managing finances, preferably in the public sector
* Proven track record of project delivery involving staff, councillors, key stakeholders, partners and the community
* Experience in working with local authorities
* Budget and financial management
* A clear track record of developing and implementing policies and procedures
* An understanding of H&S legislation and implementation of all policies
Skill & Abilities
* To produce high quality written reports for general readers on complex political, legal, environmental or financial matters
* To manage change and respond appropriately to unexpected occurrences
* To assimilate technical information to be able to advise members on policy options
* To build and maintain good working relationships with members, staff and external officers and stakeholders
* To plan, manage and evaluate projects and tasks
* Negotiation skills that have demonstrated positive solutions
* To work with external organisations collaboratively to provide services, and deliver the full range of council services
* Administration skills including a high level of competency in ICT
* Excellent time management and organisational skills
* Able to work confidently on own initiative to prioritise own workload and others to meet deadlines
* To recognise when an issue requires additional knowledge or expertise beyond that of the postholder
* Commitment to council’s ethos of equality and inclusion
* To negotiate and speak as a representative in public
Other Factors
* An understanding to work evenings and weekends as required in Hereford and an understanding that the post requires you to be in the office during the working week. Home working can be negotiated with line management.
* A final appointment will depend on references and will include a social media check.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £55,325.00-£59,418.00 per year
Schedule:
* Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
Reference ID: Town Clerk
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