Shrivenham Parish Council and the Viscountess Barrington’s Trust - Clerk to the Council and Secretary to the Trust

Location: The Memorial Hall, Highworth Road, Shrivenham

Hours: 21 hours per week

£ salary (range) Grade 29-32 £38,626 – £41,511 pro rata
Pension scheme

Shrivenham is a larger parish in the western Vale, approximately 5 miles east of Swindon and 3 miles south of Highworth, with an electorate of over 2500. The Parish Council is also sole managing trustee of the Viscountess Barrington’s Trust which is a registered charity and is responsible for the Memorial Hall, Sports Pavilion and Recreation Ground.

We are seeking a Clerk to the Council and Secretary to the Trust. You will be a professional officer employed by the Council and the Trust to manage its activities and provide professional advice. You will support the Council and the Trust before, during and after meetings, preparing councillors and Trustees for their decision-making role and putting their decisions into practice. As their Proper officer, you will protect the Council and the Trust as a corporate body.

As Proper Officer of the Council and the Trust you will be under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions of both the local authority and the charity, and in particular to serve or issue all the notifications required by law. The Clerk/Secretary is expected to advise the Council and the Trust on, and assist in the formation of, overall policies to be followed in respect of the Authority and Charity’s activities and in particular to produce all the information required for making effective decisions and to implement constructively all decisions. The Clerk/Secretary will be accountable to the Council and the Trust for the effective management of all its staff and resources and will report to them as and when required.

Qualities
You will have strong literacy and numeracy skills, with management experience and ideally a knowledge of local government. Previous experience as a Clerk or a Secretary to a Charity is preferred but full training will be given. You will have experience of Committee Management including the development of agenda and minutes. You will need to be self-reliant, self-motivated and be able to demonstrate tact and diplomacy.

Excellent IT and communication skills will be necessary.

You will be required to attend evening meetings at least once a month.

How to apply – Please sent your CV to clerk@shrivenham.org . For more information or an informal chat about the role, please telephone Julia Evans on 01793 782925.

Deadline for applications 5pm on Friday 9th May 2025.

Interview date w/c 19th May 2025.