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Head of Legal Governance and Democratic Services South Gloucestershire Council

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Welcome

Welcome

Dear Applicant

Deputy to the Head of Legal Governance and Democratic Services

Thank you for your interest in South Gloucestershire, a great place to live and work. This is a pivotal role for the authority and will be at the heart of critical decision making that helps the Council make a real difference to our communities.

We have been fortunate to benefit from a settled team over several years and we have expert staff in place across our key areas of professional responsibility. We also retain the services of very experienced counsel to support some of our most high profile and strategically critical initiatives and to help deliver our council plan priorities:- creating a better start in life, helping people to help themselves, building sustainable and inclusive communities and maximising the use of our resources.

We are members of the West of England Combined Authority and the Western Gateway. We are currently moving through our local plan process and are working closely with key stakeholders to ensure a seamless process with the Spatial Development Plan. We have a significant amount of work in the pipeline, including major capital projects and schemes, which will be delivered in accordance with an overarching strategy for clean and inclusive growth We have a significant investment property portfolio, and you will provide strategic and operational advice on how our investments can deliver both commercial and social return. In addition to these responsibilities, you will also provide positive, collaborative, and effective leadership with your managers in the legal children’s and adult social care, property, planning and commercial teams and also the Registrars and Modern Records teams. You will act as the Deputy Monitoring Officer and be able to demonstrate working sensitively and independently with elected members.

Our departing Deputy Head served the Council with distinction for over twenty years. I have been with the Council since 2007 and am keen to consider candidates interested in developing their career to the next level and beyond. You could be a senior lawyer with a strong place-based background, including planning, projects, and property, or you could be a current head or deputy head of service in a smaller authority. I would also be keen to speak with you if you are working in the private sector at a firm with a strong reputation for advising local authorities. As a Council committed to attracting and developing talented and dedicated people, we will work with you to ensure you are ready to meet the challenge.

I hope this introduction has inspired your interest in our Council and District. If you are a respected legal professional who can bring leadership, drive, and a passion for making a difference, underpinned with a calm, authoritative style, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Kind regards

John McCormack img

John McCormack
Head of Legal & Democratic Services
South Gloucestershire Council

About Us

Our culture and values

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It takes a lot of diverse skills, experience and talent for us to excel, which is what makes our organisation a vibrant and exciting place to work.

We’re friendly and flexible, passionate and proud, innovative but inclusive. We’re committed to learning and development for all and offer a range of flexible working options to ensure a good work life balance.

The Covid-19 outbreak has meant big changes for our staff. Many of our colleagues are currently working from home, but our strong and supportive culture, robust technology and comprehensive wellbeing measures have enabled us to thrive through adversity and deliver essential services at a time when our residents have needed us most.

Our values

Our values are all about what matters to us. They guide how we are – with our customers, partners and each other. If you share our values, then you could join us and help make a difference.

Values image

We share information, listen and support colleagues and work collaboratively with residents and partners.

We embrace diversity and believe everyone should have the opportunity to be part of an inclusive environment in which respect, collaboration and fairness are part of everyday working.

We put our customers and communities at the heart of everything we do, whilst also supporting individuals and groups to play an active role in helping themselves.

Our approach is to innovate and actively seek out and improve how we work, by embracing change and adapting to digital ways of working.

Through dedication and commitment, we strive to give value for money for local people and use available resources sustainably.

All of us care about the future of South Gloucestershire and are committed to delivering affordable housing, employment opportunities and infrastructure, whilst protecting our environment for future generations. 

Find out more about working for South Gloucestershire Council here: https://careers.southglos.gov.uk/

Priorities

Our priorities

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We have recently published our new Council Plan, which sets out our priorities, and the commitments we’re making to our residents.

Creating the best start in life for our children and young people

Children and young people are our future, and we are determined to give them the very best start in life. Our priority is excellence in education and skills, ensuring equal opportunities for all. We see education as the primary driver for tackling inequality and with our partners we will provide an inclusive education offer in which leaders and staff have high aspirations for all children.

Identifying and supporting those most in need and helping people to help themselves

South Gloucestershire is a safe, healthy and affluent district with high levels of employment. However, inequality gaps have increased over recent years and without preventative action, the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to further hold back the prospects of the most disadvantaged.

We want to ensure that all South Gloucestershire residents lead safe and healthy lives and that they enjoy good quality health and social care which focuses on their individual needs and enables them to retain their independence.

Promoting sustainable inclusive communities, infrastructure and growth

The pace and scale of growth in recent years has presented new opportunities for our area, but also challenges.

We want to deal positively with future expansion, by planning in a sustainable and integrated way to deliver high quality life-time and affordable homes, a dynamic local economy which supports forward-looking employment opportunities, key local community facilities and a convenient and safe transport network, which meets the needs and aspirations of both existing and new communities.

Realising the full potential of our people and delivering value for money

We are extremely proud of what we have achieved over recent years, continuing to offer high quality services at a time when we have delivered over a hundred million pounds in annual savings. Going forward our budgets will continue to be stretched and so delivering on our future vision requires us to achieve the best outcomes from every penny we spend, closely aligning our resources against our priorities and commitments.

Closing the inequality gap

We must re-double our efforts to promote equality and build cohesive communities. We will develop our partnerships and networks to engage directly with the most vulnerable in our communities, allowing us to better hear the voices of harder to reach groups, so we can have more meaningful conversations with them to understand their needs and can work with them in co-producing services.

Addressing the Climate Emergency

In 2019 we declared a Climate Emergency, pledging to lead the way in moving South Gloucestershire to carbon neutrality by 2030. It is a big challenge, but we recognise the threats to our area – extensive parts of South Gloucestershire are subject to flood risk and the impacts of drought, high winds, and other extreme weather events due to climate change.

You can read more in our Council Plan 2020 – 2024.

Job Details

Job details

Deputy Head of Legal, Governance and Democratic Services

Location: Yate, nr Bristol, South Gloucestershire

Salary/Rate: £76,354 - £83,189 per annum plus relocation allowance

Type: Permanent

Closing Date: Monday 17th January

Job Reference: 4121182

How you’ll make a difference

In this key leadership role, you will make a strategic contribution to the direction and lawful operation and governance of the Council. You will be responsible for providing strategic and operational legal advice and support to the Council and its service departments in respect of a broad spectrum of disciplines.

About the Service

The Legal Governance and Democratic Services Division includes: Legal Services, Internal Audit, Risk and Insurance, Risk and Insurance, Democratic and Elections, Land Charges, Registration Services and Records Management and Information Governance. Your teams will be required to give legal advice on:

  • all aspects civil and criminal litigation, employment, data protection, freedom of information, environmental information and subject access requests, all statutory orders, compulsory purchase, public rights of way and licensing.
  • all aspects of safeguarding vulnerable individuals across the community, education, anti-social behaviour, homelessness, child and adult social care
  • all aspects of planning and property law including the negotiation and drafting of planning agreements, planning enforcement, contracts, property transactional work including sales, purchase, leases and licences assignments and travellers services

What will you be doing?

  • You will provide leadership, management, and direction to the Legal Services, (including Land Charges and Information Governance) Registration Services and Records Management and ensure that each service is efficient, effective and delivers value for money.
  • You will be a member of the Senior Management Team, the Legal Governance and Democratic Services Management Team and you will lead the Legal Services Management Team, Contributing to the management and development of the Division in conjunction with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.
  • You will be required to deputise for the Head of Legal Governance and Democratic Services in respect of each of the service areas within the division to ensure the continuity of Legal and Democratic Services
  • To ensure the council meets all its statutory targets and responsibilities you will act as the Council’s formal deputy Monitoring Officer, supporting the Monitoring Officer in the discharge of this statutory function, the Deputy Proper Officer for the Regulatory Investigation Powers Act, Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts and as the Proper Officer for Registration Service.
  • You will provide high-quality legal and governance advice to all departments within the council. You will also provide advice directly to and manage relationships with leading Members, Directors, and other senior managers across the council.

What we need from you:

  • You will have a recognised legal qualification such as a solicitor or barrister qualified in England and Wales.
  • It is essential that you have a substantial record of senior leadership achievements and experience such as, managing, controlling and directing professional staff, developing strategies and translating them into effective operational plans.
  • You should have a broad knowledge of public sector service delivery, through direct provision and commissioning and have experience of working effectively and impartially with elected members.
  • You should also have considerable experience of local authority governance, conduct and standards and of attending and giving advice at cabinet, council, and committee meetings.
  • It is also highly desirable that you have experience in Environmental and Planning as well as strong knowledge in strategic planning and infrastructure projects.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance. We trust our team to work in the way which allows them to make the biggest difference and we continue to invest in technology to help staff do their jobs to the best of their ability and celebrate innovation.

We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

  • We’re providing essential services across our internal network to ensure we can fully support our community.
  • We’re positive and forward thinking, always looking for new and innovative ways of working work and we’re ambitious about the future. We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

We’re making a difference, be part of it!

Apply

How to Apply

How to apply

To apply please provide a tailored CV and covering letter. Please note that your CV should be up to date and demonstrate your experience in the context of this role.

Covering letters should be of no more than 2 pages and should demonstrate your proven ability to undertake the role and meet the criteria set out in the role profile.

Please provide the names and contact details of two referees.

Applications should be uploaded via the apply link.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday 17th January.

First interviews will be held Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th January. Final interviews will take place during w/c 7th February.

For an informal discussion, contact
Mark Bearn at HAYS Executive

07872 672290
mark.bearn@hays.com

Key documents:

Role Profile
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