News

Updated January 2025
This news post will be retained here temporarily for ease of reference. The article was originally published in December during our recruitment drive. We hope to announce the appointment very soon.

The Clerk is the Parish Council’s sole employee, who supports the Councillors by managing a wide range of functions, including that of Responsible Finance Officer (RFO). St Michael Parish Council is seeking a dedicated and proactive individual to take over from our Clerk of the past six years, who will retire in the spring of 2025.  The starting date is flexible from 1 January 2025 to enable a handover period of up to 3 months.

This is a paid, part-time post of an average of 4 hours per week, working from home to a flexible pattern.  Within this working time, the successful candidate must attend the quarterly Parish Council meetings, which are held in the evenings. Salary will start at £14.13 an hour, plus allowances.

Please see below for an outline of the vacancy, and we also have a full job description which you can read by scrolling further down this post.

If you are interested in working for us and would like an informal discussion before applying, please do get in touch.

Contact Information: Julia Reading, present Clerk/RFO
Telephone – between 17.00 and 20.30 hrs only please – 07542 568476                  Or email – parish.clerk@stmichaelpc.org.uk

How to apply:
Please email your CV with a covering application letter to the above address by Monday 9th December 2024.

All applications will be acknowledged, and candidates selected for interview will be invited to attend at a mutually convenient time during December.

Vacancy Details in brief

The salary offered is commensurate with the role with the expectation of starting at the rate of £14.13 an hour for 4 hours a week, i.e. approximately £2,950 a year.  A home office allowance, Outer London Fringe payment and a holiday allowance are payable in addition, all pro rata. These together will amount to approximately £600 a year. Salary is reviewed annually by reference to scales published by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Management: Develop and manage budgets, maintain accurate accounts, handle payment of invoices, re-claim VAT and ensure compliance with Financial Regulations. Undertake compliance with audit and annual governance processes. Manage a simple payroll and real-time reporting system with HMRC.
• Administration: Prepare meeting agendas and minutes, and carry out actions following the quarterly meetings. Advise and update the Council on statutory duties and regulatory requirements; ensure the safekeeping of Parish Council documents, updating where necessary.  Assist with research and analysis of local planning applications impacting the Parish. Assist with policy development.
• Liaison: Engage with other authorities and organisations, principally St Albans District Council, St Albans Association of Local Councils and the Hertfordshire Association of Parish and Town Councils; and members of the public.  
• Communication: receive and respond to Parish Council enquiries and correspondence, mainly by email.  Update and maintain the Council’s website and use social media for effective communication.

Skills needed

• Numeracy: Confidence and proficiency in applying basic budgetary and bookkeeping skills and in using spreadsheets.
• Computer Literacy: Proficiency in using technology for administrative tasks.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Organisational Skills: Ability to prioritise tasks, manage workloads and meet deadlines. Good time management.
• Proactivity: A motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Experience of working in local government administration would be an advantage, but is not essential for a candidate demonstrating a willingness and the capability to learn on the job.  Support and training are available both initially and developmentally.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION – CLERK & RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL OFFICER TO THE COUNCIL

Overall Responsibilities

The Clerk to the Council 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 to help produce 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.

Responsibilities

1. To ensure that statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council are up to date, observed and reviewed on an annual/regular basis.
2. To monitor and balance the Council’s bank and any savings accounts; prepare regular budget monitoring reports; effectively manage all grants, procedures for accounts receivable and payable; regularly reclaim VAT from, and pay any National Insurance, employee and employer taxes and other payments to, HMRC and prepare all records and documents for internal and external audit purposes.
3. To ensure that the Council’s obligations for risk assessment, insurance and assets are properly met and annually reviewed.
4. To arrange and attend all meetings of the Council and any committees, preparing agendas with supporting papers, with minutes drafted in a timely manner for later approval.
5. To receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council and to deal with them appropriately or bring such items to the attention of the Council. To issue correspondence as a result of instructions of, or the known policy of the Council including lodging all representations made by the Council as statutory consultee on planning applications within the time frame given by the Local Planning Authority.
6. To receive and report on invoices for goods and services to be paid for by the Council and to ensure such accounts are met and to periodically review all services and contracts to ensure that the Council is receiving “best value”. To pay and where required issue invoices on behalf of the Council for goods and services and to ensure payment is received.
7. 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 particular fields and to produce reports for circulation and discussion by the Council.
8. 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 practicability and likely effects of specific courses of action.
9. To undertake all necessary activities in connection with the management of salaries, conditions of employment and the statutory reporting to HMRC/DWP/Pensions Regulator as required.
10. St Michael Parish Council does not currently, nor intends to, employ any other members of staff.  The Clerk will be responsible for managing his/her own employment, including prompting the Council to conduct appraisals and salary reviews etc.
11. To monitor the implemented policies of the Council to ensure they are achieving the desired result and where appropriate suggest modifications.
12. To act as the representative of the Council as required.
13. To prepare, in consultation with the Chairman, any publicity about the activities of, or decisions of, the Council.
14. To manage the Council’s website and ensure that it is kept up to date, with timely posting of any notice or information required to be made public.
15. To attend training courses or seminars on the work and role of the Clerk as required by the Council.
16. To continue to acquire the necessary professional knowledge required for the efficient management of the affairs of the Council.
17. To ensure that all Declarations of Councillors’ Interests, Acceptances of Office, and the Code of Conduct are available to and completed by Councillors and to initiate and/or where appropriate arrange/facilitate the filling of any Councillor vacancies on the Council.

Terms and other information

1. The role is part time, with the expectation of 209 hours work spread over a year, i.e. an average of approximately 4 hours per week.  The actual pattern depends on the needs of the Council, so flexibility is required.  Activity peaks around meetings and the accounts and audit processes, while at other times the role will likely be quieter.
2. Due to the flexible working pattern, holiday entitlement will be provided as an additional payment for 28 hours, being the pro rata equivalent of 31 days a year, to include statutory holiday and any bank holidays announced for the year.  Holiday entitlement rises with attaining 5 years’ service.
3. Salary will be taken from national Local Government pay scales, with the starting rate expected to be £14.13 an hour (current year to 31 March 2025).  An uplift within the scale may be offered in recognition of relevant experience, particularly within the sector, or to an otherwise exceptionally well-qualified candidate. Plus Outer London Fringe Allowance at current rate, pro rata.
4. A mobile phone and laptop computer solely for Council business will be made available for the Clerk’s use.
5. A fuel allowance, currently 45p/mile may be claimed for essential car journeys to undertake Council business.
6. The Council does not own or occupy any office premises.  Apart from meetings, all duties and functions are to be carried out at the Clerk’s home address.  A modest allowance of £140 p.a.  is offered towards “home office” expenses, covering use of domestic internet arrangements, printer and minor items of office stationery.  Pricier office consumables and other approved expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with the Council’s Expenses Policy.
7. Please note that the post-holder will need to have a suitable storage space for the safe-keeping of the Council’s archive of minutes and other documents.
8. Parish Councils are not permitted to conduct any of their business meetings remotely by phone or video conferencing, and all meetings will therefore take place in hired premises, usually at the rear of St Mary’s Church, Childwick Green, St Albans, AL3 6JJ. 
9. Attendance at Parish Council meetings is required, please note the meetings take place at 6.30 p.m. There are three Ordinary Parish Council Meetings a year, in January, March and September, with an Annual Parish Council Meeting, held in May in tandem with the statutory Annual Parish Meeting. 
10. Occasionally the need for an Extraordinary Meeting may arise, and there is also a possibility of ad hoc committees being formed occasionally.  Authorisation for additional remuneration must be approved by the Chairman before any such meetings are arranged.
11. It is our opinion that a registration with the Pensions Regulator is not required due to the earnings threshold, and membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme is therefore not offered.
12. The appointee’s contract of employment will be based on a national template for Local Government employees.