Receipt Bank jobs

Clerk to the Council and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO)

Job Description – Clerk to the Council – September 2026

Post TitleClerk to the Council/Responsible Financial Officer

Responsible to The Council as a corporate body

Salary (NJC range 24- 36 £18.35-£24.46 per hr) subject to experience

Hours - part time 25

Holiday Entitlement 23 days [increasing to 26 days after 5 years’ service], plus 2 statutory days & bank holidays pro rata (leave year runs 1 April to 31 March)

Pension Scheme: Member of the LGPS

Main location Council Office: Shalford Village Hall, Kings Road, Shalford, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8BQ

Section 1: Role Overview

The Clerk of SPC Community Council is the Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer and as such is responsible for the administration of the Council’s business and ensuring that the council remains legally compliant. The range of responsibilities of the Clerk and RFO to fulfil the needs and best interests of the Community Council are set out as follows:

Section 2: Duties

(i) Ensuring compliance with legal duties

Proactively keep up to date with relevant changes in legislation affecting local councils.

Ensure that all statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the council are observed.

Ensure that the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations are reviewed at least annually or when the law changes, and that other policies are reviewed as appropriate.

Make sure that the Council as a whole, councillors and staff are aware of our policies and procedures.

Respond to requests made under freedom of information legislation and rights exercisable under data protection legislation.

(ii) Managing Community Council and Committee meetings

Prepare informative agendas for meetings of the Council, in consultation with appropriate councillors, taking account of the Council’s Standing Orders and the committee Terms of Reference.

Attend all meetings of the full council and its committees (usually evening meetings), take formal minutes of the meeting, and create an action log. Ensure that these actions are taken in advance of the following meeting.

Distribute minutes of meetings promptly.

Issue notices and agendas for the Community Council’s statutory annual meeting.

(iii) Community Council Administration

Maintain effective paper and electronic filing systems to record the business of the Community Council in a recoverable format.

Manage councillor vacancies including co-option and elections. Hold acceptance of office forms and a copy of every councillors’ register of interest.

Ensure adequate links are maintained with partner organisations to enable community contact to be established and to report problems and seek information.

Place and manage orders for the purchase and supply of goods and services.

Maintain the Council’s asset register and ensure that the contracts, leases, and licenses are in place for all the buildings and land that the Council owns or manages.

Manage the Council’s response to planning applications, making sure that the Council’s response is sent to the planning authority on time.

Refer planning applications to the Planning Committee for consideration at their four-weekly meeting. Prepare an agenda for the meeting, attend, and minute.

Receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council, following known policy of the Council and in liaison with the appropriate councillors, respond on behalf of the Council.

Remain informed about relevant current legislation and other issues which affect the Council and the community.

Update the Council’s action plan and monitor the progress of schemes.

Advise on the impact of Council proposals and planned activities and suggest specific courses of action which might be taken.

Ability to drive projects to successful completion within a given timescale.

(iv) Health and safety, risk and matters of insurance

Ensure the Council’s statutory obligations for the proper management of all health and safety matters aremet, including the review of the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.

Arrange appropriate inspections and risk assessments where necessary, for the safe management of council business and activities.

Present the results of risk assessments to the Council and ensure that any actions identified in risk assessments are completed as directed by the Council.

Ensure insurance cover is in place as is required or mandatory and keep proper insurance records.

(v) Financial management

Liaise with the internal auditor and meet the Council’s obligations for internal and external audit.

As soon as possible after 31 March, present a statement summarising the Council’s income and expenditure for the year, along with the accounting statements to the Council for approval.

Present financial reports as required, to include monthly bank reconciliations, receipts and payments, and a monthly report on expenditure against budget, highlighting any potential overspends.

Prepare annual budget estimates for presentation and approval to each committee and full council. From these, estimate the Council’s precept requirement and submit the precept request to Guildford Borough Council no later than the end of December.

Maintain appropriate records, make proper returns and VAT reclaims.

Manage banking arrangements, cash flow, investments, and bank transfers.

Research opportunities to apply for grants to support the Council’s objectives.

(vi) Staff Management

Act as line manager for the office assistant, ground staff and contractors as required.

Oversee the payment of staff wages, ensuring prompt and proper payment of deductions for income tax, national insurance and pension contributions and ensure that any legislative changes or statutory requirements are implemented promptly.

Maintain records of staff hours, leave etc.

Work with the HR Committee to effectively manage your own workload and that of the other staff.

Ensure all contracts and job descriptions are in place and up to date.

Manage the staff appraisal process; set and monitor appropriate objectives and ensure appropriate training plans are in place.

(vii) Asset Management

Ensure the Community Council’s land and property assets are maintained and that any required remedial work is scheduled.

Liaise with contractors to ensure work is carried out to the correct standard and as specified within the quotation.

Book all required annual tests and inspections and follow up on any remedial action or work required.

Actively manage the Council’s land and property assets to optimise revenue and value to the community

(viii) General

Manage the Community Council’s website and update the social media account to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Liaise and maintain good relationships with other authorities and stakeholders.

Be able to give objective, unbiased advice to councillors and to maintain professional detachment from the views of councillors and the community.

Balance the requirements of councillors and support the whole of the Council as a corporate body.

Attend, if appropriate, regional/national conferences of representative bodies likely to have agenda items of interest affecting the future development of the Community Council and report back to the Council on relevant issues.

Be prepared to travel within the parish boundaries on a regular basis and sometimes at short notice to meet operational requirements of the job.

Subject to workload, the Clerk can be expected to be involved in other activities to support the Council, such as undertaking research and assisting the Council in communicating with the public through regular newsletters, information published on social media, and in the local press.

Please download the full Recruitment Pack and application form from our website

www.shalford-cc.gov.uk

and send your CV with completed application form and covering letter to us. Only applications with completed paperwork will be considered

Pay: £18.35-£24.46 per hour

Expected hours: 25.0 per week

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Free parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person