The Parish Council has a vacancy for its Clerk
- This is a part time post of 20 hours a month
- To start as soon as possible and commence a handover from our present Parish Clerk
- The work is mostly home-based with regular meetings normally held in the Village Hall
- It is an interesting and varied position in which you will work with a friendly team of Parish Councillors
- Experience preferred but not essential as training will be available
- Good literacy, numeracy, communication, and computer skills and a willingness to learn are required
- A laptop is provided
- Salary will reflect the level of experience and relevant qualifications.
Application form
If you are interested we’d love to hear from you, in which case please complete the application form for this post.
Overall Responsibilities
The Clerk to the Parish Council is a Proper Officer of the Parish Council and its Responsible Financial Officer.
The person appointed will be accountable to the Parish Council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to them as and when required
Specific Responsibilities
- To ensure statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Parish Council are observed.
- To monitor and balance the Parish Council‘s accounts and prepare records for audit purposes and VAT in the role as a Responsible Financial Officer.
- To fulfil the regular tasks detailed here.
- To ensure that the Parish Council‘s obligation for Risk Assessment are properly met.
- To prepare and, in consultation with appropriate Councillors, publish (on the website and the noticeboard) agendas for regular Ordinary Parish Meetings and the Annual Council Meeting. To issue Summonses to Councillors to attend such meetings. To attend such meetings and prepare draft minutes for approval and to publish final minutes of those meetings.
- To receive correspondence and documents on behalf of the Parish Council. To bring the contents of correspondence or documents to the attention of the Parish Council. To issue correspondence as a result of instructions of, or the known policy of the Parish Council.
- To receive and report on invoices for goods and services to be paid for by the Parish Council and to ensure such accounts are met. To issue invoices on behalf of the Parish Council for goods and services and ensure payment is received.
- To study reports submitted (e.g. from Parish Council working groups or Dorset Council) and to produce reports if necessary for circulation and discussion by the Parish Council.
- To draw upon his or her own initiative and from suggestions by the Parish Council, proposals for consideration by the Parish Council and to advise on the practicability or likely effects of specific courses of action.
- Act as the representative of the Parish Council as required.
- To issue meeting notices and prepare agendas and minutes and to attend the Annual Parish Meeting and to implement the decisions made that were agreed by the Parish Council.
- To prepare in consultation with the Parish Council Chair, articles (on our website and in The Pennant), about the activities and decisions of the Parish Council.
- To attend training courses or seminars on the work and role of the clerk as required by the Parish Council.
- To continue to acquire the necessary professional qualifications required for the efficient management of the affairs of the Parish Council: suggested membership of your professional body The Society of Local Council Clerks.
- To maintain a relationship with the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DATPC).