Robin Thomas

Bedfordshire Association of Town and Parish Councils is deeply saddened by news of the death earlier this month of the former Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Sir Samuel Whitbread KCVO, JP, DL.

Sir Samuel was President of BATPC for a remarkable 32 years, until his retirement from the role in 2012. Throughout that period he gave unstinting support to the association and in turn to town and parish councils and the communities they serve.

BATPC is extremely proud of its extended association with Sir Samuel, who recognised and championed the crucial role parish and town councils fulfil on behalf of their residents throughout his considerable term as President.

The thoughts and very best wishes of everyone at BATPC are with Sir Samuel’s family at this time.

Caddington Parish Council seeks a highly motivated and enthusiastic person to take on the post of Clerk to the Council and Responsible Finance Officer.

The successful candidate will be employed for 28 hours per week, working from home.

Working hours to suit, with attendance at monthly full council evening meetings in Caddington required. Additional meetings arranged as necessary.

The post-holder will need to possess excellent communication skills, be self-motivated and have the ability to prioritise their own workload.

The role of Clerk is to ensure that the Council conducts its administrative functions and services professionally and in accordance with all relevant statutory obligations.

The Clerk is the main point of contact for all other authorities, contractors, suppliers and the public and plays an important role in Council meetings.

Terms & Conditions include:

• Starting salary between £26,790 and £28,974 (hourly rate £18.40 to £19.90) based on experience and qualifications
• Employed for 28 hours per week.
• Membership of Local Government Pension Scheme
• 21 days paid holiday per year pro rata plus public holidays
• Working from Home Allowance and Mileage Allowance

Duties include:

• Acting as impartial advisor to the Council
• Organising & attending meetings, preparing agendas & reports, & taking minutes
• Produce information required for effective discussions and implement decisions
• Management of budget, & day to day management of accounts
• Payment of invoices & management of on-line banking
• Production of annual accounts for audit purposes
• Management of Parish Warden
• Completion of all statutory returns as required
• Management of website
• Dealing with enquiries & correspondence from the public & other bodies
• Key contact for contractors

 

Our ideal candidate will have the following experience and skills:

• Good understanding of Local Council administration & legal framework
• Applicant to hold or consider working towards a Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) Training will be provided
• Competent use of email, Microsoft Office Word & Excel
• High degree of literacy and numeracy
• Excellent organisational, written & verbal communication skills

 

To apply, please email your CV along with a one side A4 sheet detailing why you wish to be considered for the post and what skills you can bring to:

Maxine Whiting, Clerk to Caddington Parish Council clerk@caddington.com

 

Closing date for applications is Monday 6^th February 2023.

Interviews of short listed candidates will take place Monday 13^th February.

Start date is Wednesday 1^st March.

SANDY TOWN COUNCIL

REQUIRE

Civic and Planning Officer

Sandy Town Council wish to recruit an experienced Administrator to work 18 hours per week, Monday to Friday to provide administration and reception support to the Town Clerk and Town Council and to act as the Mayor’s secretary.

Knowledge of working in an office environment, excellent communication, numeracy and literacy skills and experience of working with all Microsoft packages are essential.

This is a varied and interesting role with a focus on dealing with day-to-day telephone and face to face enquiries in a receptionist capacity. The role also includes administrative support and involvement in Council and Civic events and community engagement. A background in Local Government and a knowledge of Civic etiquette would also be an advantage, but more importantly is the ability to be flexible, use initiative and have a keen eye for detail.

18 hours per week with occasional weekend or evening work.

NJC Scale Points SCP LC1 7 currently £22,369 (pro rata)

Closing Date: Weds 25th January 2023

Application form available from
Sandy Town Council
10 Cambridge Road
Sandy, SG19 1JE
01767 681 491
or
Email: clerk@sandytowncouncil.gov.uk

www.sandytowncouncil.gov.uk

BATPC President HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan Lousada has recorded a Christmas Message, which can be viewed on YouTube here

In her first message as Lord-Lieutenant, she wishes a Happy Christmas to all and pays tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, recalling the celebration of her life and service which followed her sad death this year. She also looks back on the recent visit to the county of His Majesty King Charles III.

BATPC would like to wish all town and parish councils and the communities they serve a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

 

 

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan Lousada has issued a rallying cry to local councils to encourage them to take part in the Queen’s Green Canopy project before the end of the of the planting season in March 2023.

In a letter sent this week to all Bedfordshire town and parish councils, the Lord-Lieutenant thanks the many town and parish councils which have taken part to date in the project, which sees trees planted in honour of the Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

The planting events that have taken place thus far can be found on the Queen’s Green Canopy interactive map, here.  In her letter, the Lord-Lieutenant alerts councils to the fact that at the request of His Majesty King Charles III further additions can be made to the map until the end of the planting season in March 2023, not only to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee but also to honour the memory of his mother.

The letter continues: “As we now have a new window of opportunity to plant more trees and further add to the interactive map, as Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire I would very much like to encourage each Town and Parish Council to plant as many trees as possible. This represents a once in a generation opportunity to join this legacy project.”

The letter concludes by highlighting the sources of support available for local councils considering a planting project, including contact details.  You can read the letter here, and read more about the Queen’s Green Canopy here.

 

Ampthill Town Council: Committee Support Officer

Salary: £24,948- £26,845 – NJC Spinal Points: 13 -17

• Local Government Pension Scheme,
• NJC ‘Green Book’ Terms of Employment,
• Flexible working around core hours,
• Continuous professional development.

Hours: 37 hours per week – Monday to Friday, includes Wednesday evening meetings, for which time-off-in-lieu will be taken.

Ampthill Town Council is seeking to recruit an experienced and competent self-starter to join our small but growing team.

The successful candidate will facilitate the streamlining of our internal processes, by supporting the work of the Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk, to achieve an overall improved efficiency of the Council and its committees.

The successful candidate will:

• have previously worked in the delivery of public services
• have excellent written and verbal communication skills
• be experienced in producing meeting agendas with associated support papers, formal minute-taking, meeting attendance and participation
• be confident in undertaking project research, including procurement, and present associated data in a report format using tables/spreadsheets
• be able to produce and respond to a variety of correspondence
• be fully competent in the use of Microsoft Office packages including ‘Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access
• have proven ability to use a variety of social media platforms
• understand the importance and general application of Health & Safety, Data Protection and Equality & Diversity workplace legislation
• work well in a small team, in both office and home-working environments
• be adaptable/flexible to meet the needs of the Council.

 

Application pack available from: www.ampthill-tc.gov.uk or

Contact: Ampthill Town Council, Park Lodge, Ampthill Great Park,

Woburn Street, Ampthill. MK45 2HX Tel: 01525 404355

Email: council@ampthill-tc.gov.uk

Closing date: Mon. 16th January 2023 – Noon

BATPC wishes a very Happy Bedfordshire Day to all!

28th November has been our County Day since 2015, when the anniversary of the birth of John Bunyan topped a public vote organised by The Friends of Bedfordshire Society.

Town and parish councils across the county are flying the Bedfordshire Flag today, and the occasion is being celebrated online by BATPC member councils including Leighton-Linslade TC and Flitwick Town Council. and by BATPC’s President HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan Lousada, here.

You can read more about Bedfordshire Day and the Bedfordshire Flag on the Friends of Bedfordshire Society’s website, here.

Flitwick Town Council has been named a Council of the Year finalist for the National Association of Local Councils’ (NALC) Star Council Awards 2022. 

 

The prestigious awards are the only awards in England that recognise the local (parish and town) council sector. They celebrate the positive impact local councils, councillors, young councillors, clerks and county associations make on their communities. 

 

The Council of the Year category will be decided by a public vote. Flitwick Town Council is calling on residents, partners, and stakeholders to cast their vote and help Flitwick Town Council be crowned as NALC’s Star Councils Awards 2022 Council of the Year winner. Voting closes on Monday 22nd August, and you can cast your vote here.

 

Rob McGregor, Town Clerk, Flitwick Town Council said: “The Town Council is delighted to be nominated for this prestigious national award and recognised for the work our Councillors and staff do to support the local community and help improve the town for both our residents and local businesses.   

 

“Aside from our regular activities, some recent highlights include the purchase of property and amenity space in the centre of town to bring a real focal point for key community events; changing how we deal with planning applications with a joint working group formed with residents to proactively deal with developers at an early stage to get the best possible results for the town; and staging a Family Fun Day event with free open air cinema and free fun fair to help bring the community together.” 

 

The finalists were decided by leading experts within the local government sector, including representatives from organisations such as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Local Government Association, the County Councils Network, the District Councils’ Network, and the Society of Local Council Clerks. 

 

Flitwick Town Council is joined in the final by Alcester Town Council, Warwickshire & West Midlands; Bridport Town Council, Dorset; Hatton Parish Council, Derbyshire and Totnes Town Council, Devon. 

 

The winners will be announced at an online awards ceremony in October.  Find out more about the awards at www.nalc.gov.uk/starcouncilawards. 

Mental Health Awareness Week is underway, and runs from 9th – 15th May.  Parish and town councils can play a key role in helping members of their communities look after their mental health.  You can find out more about how councils can help on the NALC website here. 

A jointly-produced NALC and LGA guide on tackling loneliness outlines various ways local councils and principal authorities can work together.

The Reaching Out guide has practical advice, guidance and case studies, and focusses four key themes:

• Making Connections – finding ways to reach and understand the needs of those experiencing loneliness
• Making a Difference – providing services that directly improve the number and quality of relationships that people have
• Linking Up – giving support such as transport and technology to help sustain connections
• The Right Environment – creating the right structures and conditions locally to support those affected by, or at risk of, loneliness.

You can read more, and download the Reaching Out Guide by clicking here.

Produced as part of the National Association of Local Councils’ Make a Change, Become a Councillor campaign, a new video featuring Jackie Weaver encourages more people to get involved with local councils.  You can watch ‘The Unusual Suspects’ below:

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RrvU5V0GY8″]