Parish Clerk Job Description

Details of the job
Post title: / Parish Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer
Salary / grade: / SCP 26 - 29
Hours: / 23 hours per week(to include evening meetings)
Location: / Upton Parish/Home working
Reports to: / Parish Council
Service area: / Upton Parish

Purpose of the Post

The Clerk to the Council is the Proper Officer as such is under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions of a local authority’s Proper Officer, and in particular to serve or issue all the notices required by law of the Proper Officer of the Council.

The Clerk is responsible for ensuring that the lawful instructions of the Council in connection with its functions 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. The Clerk is responsible for producing all the information required for making effective decisions and for implementing all decisions of the Council. The person appointed is accountable to the Council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to the Council on them as and when required. The Clerk is the Council’s Responsible Finance Officer.

The clerk is an employee of the Council, reporting to the Council.

Principal responsibilities

To ensure that legal, statutory and other provisions, governing or affecting the runningof the Council, are observed.
To ensure that the Council’s obligations to insure and carry out risk assessments are properly met.
To prepare, in consultation with appropriate councillors as necessary, agendas formeetings of the Council and its committees; to attend such meetings and prepareminutes for approval.
To receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council and to deal withthe correspondence or documents and bring such items to the attention of the Council.To issue correspondence as a result of the instructions of, or the known policy of, theCouncil.
The Clerk is the Responsible Financial Officer of the Council. As Responsible Financial Officer, the Clerk shall, subject to any instructions given by the council, determine the accounting records, including the form of accounts and supporting accounting records, and accounting control systems, and ensure that the accounting control systems are observed, and that the accounting records are kept up to date.
To receive and report on invoices for goods and services to be paid for by the Council and to ensure such accounts are met. To issue invoices on behalf of the Council for goods and services to ensure payment is received.
To study reports and other data on activities of the Council and on matters bearing on those activities. Where appropriate, to discuss such matters with administrators and specialists in relevant fields.
To draw up both on his/her own initiative and as a result of suggestions by Councillors proposals for consideration by the Council and to advise on the practicability and the likely effects of specific courses of action.
To monitor the implemented policies of the Council to ensure they are achieving thedesired result and where appropriate suggest modifications.
To act as a representative of the Council as required.
To issue notices and prepare agendas and minutes for the Annual Parish Meeting; toattend the assemblies of the parish meeting and to implement the decisions made atthe assemblies.
To attend all meetings of the Council as required.
To prepare, in consultation with the Chairman, press releases about the activities orDecisions of the Council.
To attend Conferences of the National Association of Local Councils, the Society of Local CouncilClerks, and other relevant bodies as required by the Council.
To provide both the Council as a whole, and individual Councillors with professional, up to date advice, as required
To update and manage aspects of the Councils media and communications, for example, website, face book, twitter, newsletter.
To seek advice from professional bodies to keep the Council compliant with the latest legislation and good practice, to proactively bring ideas to continually develop the effectiveness of the Council, and to bring to the attention of the Council / Chairman at the earliest opportunity any matter which might represent a concern or opportunity to the Council
To be responsible as an officer and employee under the Health & Safety at Work Actfor his/her safety at work and to take reasonable care for his/her health and safetyand that of other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work.
To be accountable to the Council for the effective leadership and management of its personnel
To be conversant with, and able to use, all systems and procedures used within the Council, and able to cover or support as required during the absence of other staff members

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies a level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

Upton Parish Council

Parish Clerk Job Description17th May 2018