Opportunities

Job title: Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer
Organisation: Colnbrook with Poyle Parish Council
Salary: £29,636 – £32,029 (pro rata) depending on experience

Hours: 12 per week, with some flexibility expected to increase when necessary. If qualified to be Responsible Finance Officer this may increase to 15 hours per week.
Application deadline: Saturday 17^th October

Email Address:  [email protected]

Interviews will take place w/c 19^th October with an expected start date in November. Interviews may take place via Zoom if necessary.

About Us:

Colnbrook with Poyle is looking for a permanent Clerk to support us as we deliver our exciting projects for our community in what is an historic and green Parish, with a diverse and close-knit community.

We are ambitious in our plans both for our green spaces and to ensure we engage with three quite different areas within the parish, ranging from the beautiful historic village of Colnbrook that we are charged with conserving, to the industrial site in Poyle and the residential areas of Westfield and Brandshill.  And of course, it cannot be forgotten that we are right between the M4/M25 junction and Heathrow Airport, bringing both a transient economy and environmental concerns to our 7000 residents living in 2900 properties, whose wellbeing, health and security are our primary concern. The council’s current precept is circa £100,000.

As clerk, you will be the proper officer and responsible financial officer, assisting the council in making and implementing decisions, managing a small team of staff, and engaging with residents. Ideally you will hold CiLCA or equivalent, or be willing to achieve it soon after appointment, and you will have some experience of local authority or similar administration and of managing people. This is a part time post and involves evening and weekend work with occasional travel. Our meetings take place at 7:30pm on the first Tuesday of each month, with committee meetings on subsequent Tuesdays at the same time and you will be expected to attend these. When you’re not at our meetings taking minutes and advising the council, you will be based in our Westfield Office where you will find all the equipment you need to fulfil your role.

About the Role:

Overall Responsibilities:

• The clerk to the council/town clerk will be the proper officer of the council and as such is under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions, and in particular to serve or issue all the notifications required by law of a local authority’s proper officer.
• The clerk will be totally responsible for ensuring that the instructions of the council in connection with its function as a Local Authority are carried out.
• The clerk is expected to advise the council on, and assist in the formation of, overall policies to be followed in respect of the Authority’s activities and in particular to produce all the information required for making effective decisions and to implement constructively all decisions. The person appointed will be accountable to the council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to them as and when required.
• The clerk will be the responsible financial officer and responsible for all financial records of the council and the careful administration of its finances.

Specific Responsibilities:

1. To ensure that statutory and other provisions affecting the running of the council are observed.
2. To monitor and balance the council’s accounts and prepare records for audit purposes and VAT.
3. To ensure that the council’s obligations for risk assessment and management are properly met.
4. To prepare, in consultation with the appropriate members, agendas for meetings of the council and committees. To attend such meetings and prepare minutes for approval.
5. To attend all meetings of the council and all meetings of its committees and sub-committees.
6. To receive and deal with, in accordance with the council’s procedures, any or all correspondence and documents.
7. To receive and report on invoices for goods and services for the council and to ensure such accounts are met. To issue invoices on behalf of the council and to ensure payment is received.
8. To study reports and other data on activities of the council. Where appropriate, to discuss such matters with specialists and to produce reports for circulation and discussion by the council.
9. To draw up reports on his/her own initiative and as a result of suggestions by councillors. To present these reports for consideration by the council.  To advise on the practicality and likely effects of specific courses of action.
10. To supervise any other members of council staff as their line manager in keeping with the policies of the council. To undertake all necessary activities in connection with the management of salaries, conditions of employment and the work of other staff.
11. To monitor the implemented policies of the council to ensure they are achieving the desired results and, where appropriate, suggest changes.
12. To act as the representative of the council as required.
13. To issue notices and prepare agendas and minutes for the Annual Parish/Town Meeting. To attend the Parish Meeting and to implement the decisions made at the Parish/Town meeting, as agreed by the council.
14. To prepare, in consultation with the chairman, press releases about the activities or decisions of, the council.
15. To attend training courses or seminars as required by the council.
16. To work towards the achievement of the status of being a CiLCA (or equivalent) qualified clerk as a minimum requirement for effectiveness in the position of clerk to the council.

About you:

Qualifications:

Essential:

The Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) (or be willing to attain it on appointment)

GCSE / or equivalent in English and Maths.

Communication:

First and foremost, you will be a great communicator, able to engage with our residents and speak up clearly in council meetings, with experience of presentations so you’ll be able to confidently present to the council and public as required. You be able to take and distribute clear and concise minutes at meetings and ensure all statutory notices and notifications are up to date and completed on time. You’ll need to be computer literate too, with good IT skills to keep our website up to date, letting our residents know what the council has achieved and what we’re working on. You’ll be an attentive listener, you’ll listen carefully the council’s strategic plans and projects to understand the aims and objectives, and to our residents so you can advise the council on any general feedback and on projects that we undertake.

Organisation:

You will be organised and efficient, the kind of person who always has a plan with an ability to respond calmly to the unexpected. You’ll know exactly when things are due and what the council needs to do to meet deadlines.

Knowledge:

You’ll be able to understand, interpret and apply the council’s Standing Orders and ensure they are met consistently by all councillors. You have a sound knowledge of the statutory obligations of a parish council and be able to apply any relevant legislation.

Finance:

A good head for numbers, you’ll have experience of managing a small budget and a working knowledge of Excel.

People skills:

You’ll be able to engage people from all walks of life and build positive productive relationships, not only with our highly valued finance assistant who will work with you on financial matters, but through working in partnership with the officers within our principle authority, Slough Borough Council, with our many community groups, along with our partners at Thames Valley Police and Colne Valley Regional Park.

If you have the skill set that meets the requirements of this role, then please complete the application form found here, and submit it with a covering letter and evidence of qualifications to the council at:

Colnbrook With Poyle Parish Council
Westfield Community Centre
Severn Crescent
Slough
SL3 8UX

Or via email to: [email protected]