Opportunities

Salary: SCP42 (£48,587 p.a) – SCP46 (£52,662 p.a) dependent upon skills, experience and qualifications.

Hours: 37 hours per week. Council meetings are held on Thursday evenings. Regular evening and occasional weekend working will be required for which time off in lieu will be granted. It may be necessary for the post holder to work in excess of these hours on occasions to meet deadlines.

Great Dunmow is an ancient market town in north-west Essex with an estimated population of 8,830 (2011) which is rapidly expanding. The Town Council consists of 18 members: 9 representing the North Ward and 9 for the South Ward. Extensive public open spaces are administered by the Council. The Council also acts as Sole Trustee to the E.T Foakes Memorial Hall & Foakes for Recreation Charitable Trusts.

The Clerk is employed by the Council (under Section 112(1) of the Local Government Act 1972) to provide administration support for Council’s activities, however, this role will go beyond the basic requirements and a skilled manager is needed to fulfil the role. The Clerk’s primary responsibility is to advise the council on whether its decisions are lawful and to recommend ways in which decisions can be implemented. To help with this, the Clerk may be asked to research topics of concern to the Council and provide unbiased information to help the council to make appropriate choices. The Clerk has a wide range of other responsibilities which are set out in the job description.

The Town Clerk will work in harmony with the Full Council who are responsible for all strategic decisions. The Town Clerk reports to the Full Council and takes instruction from the Council as a body. The Town Clerk will be required to make day to day decisions to enable the Council to function as required. The Council must be confident that the Clerk is, at all times, independent, objective and professional.

Job Purpose:

• Undertake the duties of the Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer of Great Dunmow Town Council and act in accordance with the statutory duty to carry out all the functions, and in particular, to serve or issue all notifications required by law of a local authority’s Proper Officer.
• Take full responsibility for ensuring that the instructions of the Town Council in connection with its function as a Local Authority are carried out.
• Advise the Town Council on Standing Orders and policies to be followed, in respect of the Authority’s activities and, in particular, to produce all the information required for making effective decisions.
• Report to Great Dunmow Town Council for effective management of all its resources.
• To ensure an effective organisational structure is developed and implemented to meet the needs of the Town Council whilst balancing the need for financial efficiencies.
• Overall responsibility for all the financial records of the Council and the administration of its finances.
• Overall responsibility for the financial management and administration of The Trusts.
• Overall responsibility for ensuring compliance with current Health and Safety regulations.
• Overall responsibility for Planning, Downs and Commons and Halls, and legal implications arising.
• Overall responsibility for Cemetery Management and ensuring the Council meets the statutory requirements for safe custody of all documents, deeds, records and burial registers.

If you are interested in this post, please contact [email protected] for an application pack or download a copy below.

Application Pack

Click here to visit the council’s website

If you would like to have an informal discussion about this post, please contact James Sheehy, Town Clerk on 01371 872406.