Parish Council Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer

Location: Cookham Rise, Berksshire

Salary: SCP range 24- 28(£33,024—£36,648 per annum) (Depending on experience)

Working Hours: Monday to Friday (Flexible hours within the week), some evening work will be required to attend Council and committee meetings.

The Role

They are seeking an organised, motivated, and efficient Parish Council Clerk to join their team who will also undertake the role of Responsible Financial Officer (RFO), responsible for an annual budget of about £200,000.

This role is pivotal to the smooth operation of the Council, providing essential administrative support and ensuring robust financial management. The successful candidate will work closely with Council members, local organisations, and residents to ensure the effective delivery of the services and initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Compliance with the legal regulations relating to Parish Councils to ensure the Council operates within its statutory remit and that all decisions of the Council are made lawfully and advising the Council on procedure and practice.
Arrange meetings, attend and produce minutes for Council meetings, several additional committee meetings and the Annual Parish Meeting. This involves working with the respective Chairman to prepare agendas and summoning meetings.
Deal with all correspondence and other communications of the Council so that Councillors who need to know are kept advised of matters relevant to them and to the whole council and keep records of same.
Execute and progress the decisions of the Council and provide reports of progress.
Managing one member of staff - the Assistant Clerk.
Managing the administration of the allotments, issuing invoices; maintaining financial records.
Managing the administration of the cemetery.
Managing the maintenance of the recreation ground and public footpaths.
Keeping the Council's accounts and making regular financial reports - this involves keeping and circulating to Councillors a monthly cashbook of income received and expenditure of the Council, providing quarterly management reports and an annual draft budget, submitting VAT returns to reclaim VAT paid on a regular basis.
Ensure compliance with HMRC regulations as to payroll, paying PAYE and National insurance to HMRC and submitting of monthly returns online for employees.
Arranging for the preparation of Annual accounts and compliance with the auditing requirements for Parish Councils.
Maintain an asset register and risk assessment and review along with the Standing Orders and Financial regulations annually.
Managing contractors who supply services to the Council including insurance and grounds maintenance.
Making available online planning applications and submitting comments to the planning authority.
Ensuring the Council's website in up to date with regular updating of information.
Acting as the Council's link to outside bodies, particularly the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.
Skills and Qualifications

Essential:

Previous experience in a similar administrative and/or financial role.
Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a high level of attention to detail.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel.
Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Desirable:

Qualification in local Council administration (CiLCA) or willingness to work towards this.
To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable Council, please do not hesitate to apply