Specialist Level 1 (Licensing)

Permanent, Full-time (37 hours per week), Flexi-time scheme, Local

Government Pension Scheme

Salary Scale H £28,226 - £30,984 per annum

Applications will also be considered from candidates who have not previously worked in a licensing or a Regulatory role, but who meet the minimum standard of education (or equivalent) and commit to completing a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer qualification.

Are you motivated to work for an ambitious Organisation, here to empower and inspire our communities to thrive?

Here’s some information about us

We are here to empower and inspire our communities to thrive. Every staff member plays a part in our success and achievement through challenging what we do, how we do it and how we can do it better.

Ideas are continuously encouraged, new ways of working are trialled and we apply learning through experience. Through our ‘one team’ approach, we work in an agile way to empower our staff to be able to make decisions that place our customers at the heart of what we do and ultimately to empower and inspire our communities to thrive.

We are in an exciting process of transitioning from a district council to being part of a new, larger unitary council providing most local government services to the Barrow, South Lakeland and Eden areas. South Lakeland’s transformation through its Customer Connect programme and positive culture will provide an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate to play a role in enabling the Council and its people to shape and transition to the new Council.

Some details about the role

As a Licensing Specialist, you will work as part of our licensing service which issues and regulates licences which we are responsible for as a local authority. You will be an authorised officer of the Council covering our regulatory responsibilities, this will include but is not limited to, licenced premises, hackney carriage & private hire and animal welfare licences. This will involve working with our Case Management Officers and having oversight of the processing of initial registration and licence applications, as well investigating complaints and taking enforcement action.

You, as the successful candidate, will be expected to provide advice to a wide array of audiences including Members, applicants, senior managers and other responsible authorities. You will also assist in the development of policies relating to licensing, and you will attend Licensing Hearings and give evidence at Court as required.

What we are looking for in you

The successful candidate should have:

• Up-to-date working knowledge of local authority licensing and registration functions, including hackney carriages and private hire, the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005, and Animal Welfare Regulations 2018. This should be sufficient to provide technical advice on licensing enquiries to customers, colleagues, Councillors, and external organisations.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, as you will be required to interpret,
• implement, and make effective use of Licensing legislation, guidance and technical
• information and be able to deal with complaints regarding all activities.
• Experience of licensing enforcement as you will be required to enforce the relevant local
• authority licensing legislation, liaising with the Police, Environmental Health, Fire Service
• and other responsible authorities as appropriate.
• Experience of gathering evidence for formal proceedings (prosecutions & formal cautions)
• in respect of breaches of licensing legislation.
• Experience in the preparation of reports, statutory notices and correspondence and be able
• to present these at Licensing Hearings and in court as required.
• Some experience of developing and implementing local authority licensing policy.
• A proactive approach in seeking out new opportunities to work with both partner agencies and local businesses to build on the successful work already undertaken by the team.

As a minimum you will be educated to A Level Standard/NVQ 3 (or equivalent), or have relevant experience of working in licensing. You will have good IT skills and preferably have experience of using specialist software such as Civica APP. You will also have a full UK Driving Licence and have access to a suitable vehicle for travel.

Consideration will also be given to candidates who have not previously worked in a Licensing or a  Regulatory role, but who commit to completing a Level 4 Regulatory Compliance Officer qualification.  The qualifications will be fully funded by the Council.

What we offer

• Being part of an innovative, forward thinking, supportive and solutions focused team
• Smart working – Working in a ways that gets the best outcomes
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Generous Annual Leave Entitlement (23 days holiday per annum + Bank Holidays (raising to 28
• days after 5 years service))
• Flexi time – being able to accrue up to 13 additional flexi days + 5 additional banked flexi days
• per annum
• An attractive pension scheme

Equality of opportunity

We are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We want this to be reflected in the diversity of the people who work for us and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and identities including from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as these groups are under-represented at SLDC, particularly at senior level. As part of our commitment to employing disabled people, all disabled candidates who meet the minimum requirement for vacancies will be guaranteed an interview.

Would you like to join us, share and develop the experience and above all, make a difference...?

For further information including the Role Profile and details of how to apply, please visit us at

https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/your-council/job-vacancies/

To accompany your application, please upload a CV summarising your employment history, qualifications and relevant experience. Please note, we are unable to accept CVs alone for job vacancies.

For an informal discussion about the role, please do not hesitate to contact Nicola Clark, Senior Specialist, in the first instance by email – nicola.clark@southlakeland.gov.uk  Candidates that are shortlisted for interview will be informed by email.

Closing date for application: Wednesday 27 April 2022

Interviews will be held: Week commencing 09 May 2022