Core Responsibilities

The Clerk to the Town Council will be the Proper Officer of the Council and Responsible Financial Officer and as such, is under a statutory duty to properly discharge its functions, 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 to enable the Council to make informed, effective decisions and to implement constructively all decisions.

The Clerk is accountable to the Council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to the Council as and when required. The Clerk will be the Responsible Finance Officer and responsible for all financial records of the council and the careful administration of its finances.

Specific Responsibilities

• To ensure that statutory and other provisions governing the operation of the Council are observed.
• To monitor and have ultimate responsibility for balancing the council’s accounts and preparing records for audit purposes and VAT. To ensure that the Council’s obligations for Risk Assessment are properly met and act as the Council’s Health and Safety Officer. To prepare, in consultation with appropriate Members, agenda and reports for meetings of the Council and its committees;  to attend such meetings and prepare Minutes for approval. To attend all meetings of the Council and all meetings of committees and working groups. other than where such duties have been delegated to another member of staff. To receive and process correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council and, as necessary, bring such items to the attention of the Council.  To issue correspondence as a result of the instructions of, or the known policy of, the Council. 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, in a timely fashion, for goods and services and 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 particular fields and produce reports for circulation and discussion by the Council.
• To draw up both on his/her initiative and as a result of suggestions by councillors, proposals for consideration by the Council and to advise on practicability and the likely effects of specific courses of action.
• To supervise all other members of staff as their line manager in keeping with the policies of the council and to undertake all necessary activities in connection with the management of salaries, conditions of employment and work of other staff.  To undertake annual appraisals of all staff. To act as the Registrar of Pershore Cemetery, liaising with funeral directors, memorial masons, clergy and bereaved families as necessary, ensuring that all aspects of the Local Authorities Cemetery Order and any other relevant legislation is complied with.  

   

  • To monitor the implemented policies of the Council to ensure they are achieving the desired result, and where appropriate, suggest modifications.
  To act as a representative of the Council as required.
• To act as Office Manager, developing and improving internal office systems, including IT, as situations demand, to ensure the smooth running of all administrative and financial functions. To be the officer responsible under General Data Protection Regulations and Freedom of Information.
• To monitor content on the Town Council and Visit Pershore websites and social media instructing updates as necessary.
• To issue notices and prepare agenda and minutes for the Annual and Town Meetings and to attend these. To prepare, in consultation with the Chairman, press releases about the activities of, or decisions of the Council. To attend training courses on the work and role of the Clerk as required by the Council. To maintain the status of qualified clerk as a minimum requirement for effectiveness in the position of clerk to the Council To continue to acquire the necessary professional knowledge required for the efficient management of the affairs of the Council. Suggested is membership of your professional body The Society of Local Council Clerks. To attend the Conference of the National Association of Local Councils, Society of Local Council Clerks, and other relevant bodies as a representative of the council as required. To deal with any other matters which, from time to time, are required by the Town Council.  

   

  Responsible Finance Officer

   

  The Responsible Finance Officer is appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, section 151

   

   

   

  Duties:

   

   

   

• To prepare financial reports of the Council covering budget monitoring, fund balances, receipts and payments to date, payroll summary, payment of invoices and other relevant current matters.
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  To prepare draft estimates which, when approved, will form the annual budget for the year, and to report thereon, as necessary. To submit the Precept to the District Council at the correct date and to provide any figures required for inclusion in the Council Tax Bill information as required by statute. To bank regularly (daily if necessary) all money received by the Council. To ensure that all money due to the Council is billed and collected promptly. To identify the duties of all staff dealing with financial matters and to ensure, wherever possible, the segregation of duties of staff, thus facilitating as much internal control as possible.  If staff are not appropriate for such internal controls, then to involve Members in the internal control systems wherever possible. To manage the cash-flow and to control investments and bank transfers. To control all payments within the financial budget resources of the Council.
• To take overall responsibility for the management of the payroll, ensuring prompt and proper payment of any deductions for Income Tax, National Insurance and pension fund or superannuation fund contributions.
• To take overall responsibility for the prompt submission of VAT Return Forms and repayment claims. To verify, analyse for accounting purposes, and to authorise/recommend for payment invoices from suppliers.
  • To prepare Financial Statements for each financial year for Councillors and the public.
  To prepare the Final Accounts and the Annual Return for the Council each year and to submit them to Council for approval and to the Auditor when required.
• To arrange for appropriate Internal Audit in accordance with Financial Regulations.
• To monitor compliance with the Council’s Financial Regulations.
• To manage the risks faced by the Council and to recommend such insurance as is required, or is mandatory (Employer’s Liability, Public Liability, Vehicle and Fidelity).  

   

  To maintain and review the Council’s asset register.