REMITS 

The Clerk

General

The Clerk will be the Proper Officer and Responsible Finance 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 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 Council's activities, to ensure that sufficient information is available to the Council for making effective decisions; and to implement constructively all decisions.

The Clerk will be accountable to the Council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to it as and when required.  The Clerk will be responsible for the financial records of the Council and the administration of its finances.

To follow policies and guidance as may be adopted from time to time by Council.

To report on his work and on significant matters within his remit to Council at each meeting of Council.

 Duties

[Note: In the following paragraphs, the single numeric paragraphs set out the responsibilities; the double numeric, indented paragraphs are a non-exhaustive listing of things expected of the Clerk in fulfilment of the responsibilities.]

 1                    To ensure that legal, 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 internal and external audit purposes, and VAT payments and repayments.

To implement the Council's procedures for checking and approval of payments, and for collection of receivables.

2.1            Developing and then maintaining the Council's financial accounts on a suitable software based system, including:  Producing monthly management accounts; conducting a mini-audit monthly with Councillors; producing annual accounts, including VAT recovery; liaising with internal auditor for annual audit of accounts; liaising with external auditor for annual audit of accounts.  Maintain proper PAYE and NIC records for staff, purchase payment system for goods and services required by the Council and VAT reclaim records.

 3          To ensure that the Council's obligations are properly met.

 4          To prepare, in consultation with appropriate members, agendas for meetings of the Council and its committees; to attend such meetings and prepare minutes for approval.

4.1            Preparing, in consultation with relevant Chairmen, agendas and papers for all official meetings, usually at least 14 days in advance and distribute to members, usually at least 10 days in advance of the meeting

4.2            Preparing and distributing official notices on Parish noticeboards

4.3            Attending all meetings of Council and its standing committees and where possible and appropriate its sub-committees and ad hoc working groups.  Taking notes at meetings and producing full minutes (Council and standing committees) or short action minutes (working groups and other ad hoc meetings).  Minutes to be produced in draft within 14 days of meeting and submitted for review to the chairman of the meeting and then circulated.

4.4            Producing Council's annual report by ensuring input from all Chairmen and prepare report and outline accounts for the Annual Parish Meeting.

4.5            Making all administrative arrangements for meetings including hall bookings, speaker bookings, advertising, refreshments and so on.

 5          To manage the operation of the Council Office

 To deal with the administration of the Council office.

5.1            Filing mail, messages, information, minutes, papers, etc. in appropriate files.  Keeping filing up-to-date.  Archiving files in accordance with agreed Council policy.

5.2            Maintaining a tidy office

5.3            Maintaining a Council diary of meetings and book meeting accommodation up to a year in advance for main committees.

5.4            Maintaining Council registers – interests, civil emergency data, etc.

 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. 

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

5.5          Timely opening of mail/attending to e-mails/attending to telephone messages/calls, faxes and

          1.          date recording

2.            passing on to relevant councillor for advice (if necessary) and noting action and any b.f.

          3.          replying (if appropriate) and noting action and any b.f.

4.            as a result of 2 or 3 above bring to the attention of a relevant Council committee and then carrying out the agreed action and any b.f.

6          To act as a representative of the Council as required.

7          To draw up, both on own 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.

8          To supervise any other members of staff in keeping with the policies of the Council and to undertake all necessary activities in connection with the management of the salaries, conditions of employment and work of other staff.

9          To monitor the implemented policies of the Council to ensure they are achieving the desired result in a reasonable time frame and where appropriate suggest modifications.

10        To study reports and other data on activities of the Council and on issues affecting (or potentially affecting) the Parish or any of its parts.  Where appropriate, to discuss such matters with administrators and specialists in particular fields.

10.1            Maintaining awareness of local, regional, national activity in relation to Council's and the Parish's interests. 

10.2            Keeping up-to-date on all local government policy and regulation changes, and inform Chairmen and Council at earliest opportunity. 

10.3            Maintaining awareness of availability of grants potentially relevant to activity beneficial to the Parish.

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

11.1            Processing the work for production and distribution of Parish Matters (under a Councillor editor).

11.2            Maintaining any website which the Parish may develop (and participate in its design)

12        To attend training courses on the work and role of the Clerk as required by the Council.

13        To be a member of and to attend the Conferences of the Association of Local Councils, Society of Local Council Clerks, and other relevant bodies, where appropriate doing so as a representative of the Council

Authority

To carry out all actions necessary to fulfil the duties referred to above, save where major decisions are required in which case the matter should be referred to Council for its approval. "Major decisions" is incapable of precise definition, but comprehends

·         Financial impact (by reference to absolute amount, departure from budget and risk)

·         Long-term impact

·         Parish-wide impact

·         Expectation of strong public feeling

[These are matters for judgement; often to be decided by the Chairman of a committee, or sometimes that chairman and the chairman of Council – each having in mind what they think Council would want.]

To act on behalf of the Council to the extent specifically authorised