Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer

CLERK TO STOWE BY CHARTLEY PARISH COUNCIL

 

Overall Responsibilities

 

The Clerk is 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 governing or 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 draft annual budgets, quarterly variance and monthly bank reconcilliation reports.

 

4. To ensure that PAYE and payroll requirements are adhered to.

 

5. To ensure that the Council's obligations for Risk Assessment are properly met. This will include rota for playing field inspection and forwarding of blank form to Members about to start their inspection month.

 

6. To prepare, in consultation with appropriate members, agendas for meetings of the Council and Committees.

 

7. To attend all meetings of the Council and all meetings of its committees and sub-committees. To set up the meetings and produce Minutes for approval.

 

8. To receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council and to deal with the correspondence or documents or bring such items to the attention of the Council.

 

9. To issue correspondence as a result of instructions of, or the known policy of the Council.

 

10. 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 and to ensure payment is received.

 

11. To preserve and maintain the records of the Council.

 

12. 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.

 

13. 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.

 

14. To monitor the implemented policies of the Council to ensure they are achieving the desired result and where appropriate suggest modifications.

 

15. To act as the representative of the Council as required.

 

16. To issue notices and prepare agendas and minutes for the Parish Meeting: to attend the assemblies of the Parish Meeting and to implement the decisions made at the assemblies that are agreed by the Council.

 

17. To prepare, in consultation with the Chairman, press releases about the activities of, or decisions of, the Council.

 

18. If necessary to respond to consultation on minor planning applications after taking advice from Members of the Council. This delegated authority can be vetoed by a Member in relation to a specific application in which case a Council meeting will be called.

 

19. To ensure that all works carried out by contractors employed by the Council are carried out as directed and completed to a required standard.

 

20. To be responsible for the maintenance of Council assets and carry out, with member/s, an annual check of assets and a risk assessment of the playing field before the Village Fete.

 

21. To act as webmaster and Newsletter editor to provide information on the Council and the Parish through the web site and quarterly Newsletter and through other appropriate means.

 

22. To attend training courses and use a formal method of Continuous Professional Development to maintain his skills and knowledge.

 

23. To be the Data Compliance Officer for data protection legislation.

 

24. To oversee Cyber Security for the Council

 

25. To carry out any other duties from time to time directed by the Council.