(Childrens Services) – WMF1603e

Westmorland and Furness Council

Salary: £63,830 - £66,642

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Penrith, Kendal or Barrow, or any other W&F office, however flexible working is available.

Contract: Permanent

Why work for Westmorland and Furness Council

Westmorland and Furness Council is an ambitious authority that shapes public services for the better, building on the best and transforming them for the future. We are committed to putting our customers and communities first, and to be the heart of everything we do.

Westmorland and Furness Council is a modern and supportive employer, and we have both the technology and the commitment to allow our employees to work flexibly and efficiently.

About this opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and ambitious professional to join our Finance Team as a Group Accountant/Group Finance Manager (Children's Services) supporting our Childrens Directorate.

Our Finance Team provides financial management, reporting, accountancy and advice to directors, heads of service, budget holders, elected Members and stakeholders across the full range of services delivered by the Council.

Westmorland and Furness Council is a new council and is developing a great track record of training and support for staff and providing opportunities for personal career development.

Reporting to the Interim Senior Manager (Business Partnering), as a Group Accountant/Group Finance Manager you will be responsible for a team of 11 staff who are passionate about finance business partnering, delivering support to the full budget cycle of budget development, including developing financial business cases for budget proposals; budget monitoring, including the ongoing review of savings delivery savings; and financial year end through a mix of technical, operational and strategic advice.

This ensures that managers across the organisation can effectively manage their budgets, make effective decisions and develop and deliver transformational change projects. The role also ensures that the financial systems and the accounting information is robust.

As our Group Accountant/Group Finance Manager for Children’s Finance, you will be responsible for overall financial management and business partnering support for a gross budget of £265m (including DSG) across the following service areas –

• Children’s Social Care
• Early Help & Prevention
• Education & Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council, like many other local authorities, is facing unprecedented challenges in terms of increasing demand for services and rising costs. Following LGR a Council-wide change programme is underway to think and do things differently.

We now want to maximise our potential as a unitary council to improve our efficiency and effectiveness, working with residents in different ways to provide excellent services in a way that we can afford over the long term.

The Group Accountant/Group Finance Manager plays a key role in supporting managers to deliver financially sustainable services through the provision of high quality financial information and advice. The role will involve working closely with the Children’s Services Leadership team, Senior Finance Officers, Schools and Members.

Who are we looking for

We are looking for an ambitious and driven qualified Accountant, with the drive and commitment to support the Council move towards its objective of becoming Financially Sustainable. You will have extensive practical knowledge and application of budget preparation, monitoring and year end accounting practices, application of current accounting standards, and support to transformation projects.

You will have recent experience of Local Government and preferably have extensive experience of the Dedicated Schools Grant and Schools Funding as well has High Needs funding and deficit management.

Strong people management skills are required as this role is responsible for the management, motivation and development of staff within the Finance Team in order to secure efficient performance of duties. You will be responsible for your own personal and professional development.

What can we offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise)
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms
• Competitive rates of pay

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 5th January 2025

Interview date: w/c 13 January 2025

The interview will be in-person at our Kendal office, if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss.

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

If you would like to discuss this exciting opportunity, please contact Pauline Cameron 07900 660932 or Susan Milburn on 07900 654240.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile

Job title: Business Support Administrator

Salary: £28,624

Hours: 37

Location: South Lakeland House, Kendal

Contract: Permanent

The advertised salary includes a supplement (JWC) to the base grade of the post. JWC supplements are conditional on the physical demands and /or working conditions of the role.

About this opportunity

We are looking for an experienced and successful administrator to join the Business Support Team who support the Education and Inclusion Service within Children’s Services:

• The Learning Improvement Service works with LA maintained schools, academies, early years settings and childminders, ensuring support and challenge for all schools and settings in fulfilment of the LA's statutory duties. In addition, the Service offers support and advice to schools and families in relation to Access to Education which includes pupil absence, children missing education, elective home education, exclusions, suspensions, and children involved in entertainment or undertaking part-time employment.

• The Virtual School Team supports the council to fulfil its corporate parenting responsibilities by working as the lead education advocate for the children and young people in its care from the age of two up to 18 years and beyond.

The successful candidate will have excellent literacy, numeracy and ICT skills, as well as high level organisational and communication skills; they will present a confident, professional image to all our stakeholders, families and partner agencies.

Why work for Westmorland and Furness Council?

Westmorland and Furness Council is an ambitious authority that will shape public services for the better, building on the best and transforming them for the future. We are committed to putting our customers and communities first, and at the heart of everything we do.

If you are interested in being part of a team that is committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for our children, then this could be the opportunity you are looking for.

What we can offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise)
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms
• Competitive rates of pay

Application and interview information

Closing date: Sunday 5th January 2025

Interview date: Thursday 16th January 2025

Safer recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile

Are you interested in taking an active role in your community?

Are you interested in local education, and would you like to get involved?

Do you have the skills needed to be an impartial panel member?

We are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join us in Westmorland and Furness as Volunteer Panel Members, providing impartial decisions and sitting on Independent Review Panels for School Admission Appeals and Permanent Exclusions from a school.

Admission Appeals panels consider appeals by parents whose children have been refused admission to their preferred school. Members of the independent panels consider the cases put forward by the parents and the schools and decide whether the appeal should be upheld.

Exclusion independent review panels consider appeals by parents or carers, whose children have been permanently excluded from a school. The panel consider the decision of a governing body to uphold a permanent exclusion and decide whether to uphold their decision to permanently exclude a pupil, recommend that the governing body reconsider its decision or direct the governing body to reconsider its decision.

How do the Panels work?

Education appeal panels are attended by 3 Independent Panel Members, a Clerk, a Presenting Officer from the Admissions Authority and the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the child who is appealing to get into a specified, local school.

The role of the Independent Appeals Panel Member is to listen to both sides of the case (i.e. the reasons why a school place has been refused, and the parents’ case as to why they need the place) and then to make a fair and balanced decision.

The Panel weighs up the evidence (in private) after the hearing, and then has the power to either grant or refuse a place at the school in accordance with the criteria laid out in the School Admission Appeals Code.

The panel is supported by an independent clerk who makes sure that the appeal hearings are conducted fairly, appropriately and in line with the provisions of the School Admission Appeals Code. The clerk is an independent source of advice on procedure. They make a record of the proceedings, decisions, and reasons, before notifying all parties of the panel's decision.

What can we offer you?

This is a fantastic opportunity to play an active role in an essential decision-making process for our Education System.

Sitting as a panel member is a great way to develop your interpersonal skills, decision making and leadership skills.

Full training is provided, given by the Westmorland and Furness Council Legal services team, and is updated/refreshed every 2 years.

This is a volunteer role, and all travel and parking expenses will be paid.

Please note: Westmorland and Furness Council Members and employees are unable to sit on these panels.

This is a rolling advert, which means that applications are constantly being considered and shortlisted. For more information or to express your interest in becoming a volunteer panel member, please send your cover letter and CV to the School Appeals Team at: wfeducationlegal.WAF@cumbria.gov.uk

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Westmorland and Furness Council

Salary: Grade 7 £27,711 to £28,624

Hours: 37 hours

Location: Penrith

Contract: Permanent

About this opportunity

The Contracts Management Team (including the Bereavement Services) at Westmorland and Furness Council are looking for a professional, empathetic Assistant Contracts Officer who can work collaboratively in providing a respectful service for bereaved families.

The successful candidate will be a key part of the team, supporting the public in their enquiries, working closely with Funeral Directors and Stone Masons as well as assisting with co-ordinating the day-to-day function of different contracts, including burials and grounds maintenance.

Supporting a wider team, the successful candidate will undertake a variety of administration duties providing a high attention of detail and conducting the accurate recording of all statutory information for burials, memorials and grave ownership. The role will also include communicating regularly with customers whilst demonstrating great customer service skills and giving advice and guidance whether that be face-to-face, email and telephone. The successful candidate will also be attending funerals across the local area acting as the Council’s representative, ensuring that the burial occurs with the upmost dignity and respect.

The role will also include the monitoring of contracts, assisting with administration and the successful delivery of works agreed, legal compliance and developing performance indicators. Further to this the successful candidate will be able to assist in preparing reports, correspondence and provide professional and effective communication with all stakeholders.

This role of Assistant Contracts Officer is varied and involves working in a fast-paced environment and you will be expected to be flexible in line with the needs of the business.

If you are interested in the post and would like to have an informal discussion please contact: Neil Buck on 01768 212337 

What can we offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers.
• Flexible working opportunities.
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise).
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms.
• Competitive rates of pay.
• A 12-month digital trial (from 1 June 2024) of a new scheme that allows free workplace car parking for employees in all Westmorland and Furness Council owned car parks between Monday to Friday.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 19th January 2025

Interview date: w/c 27th January 2025

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss.

If you are invited to a virtual interview, this will preferably be undertaken using the Microsoft Teams software, which is currently free for new users, however if there are any issues with accessing this technology, we are happy to discuss alternative arrangements prior to the interviews.

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile

Westmorland and Furness Council

Location(s): Furness, South Lakes and Eden

Contract: Temporary

Hours: Zero Hours

Salary: £33,366 - £34,314 (pro rata)

About this opportunity

Live, Work, Thrive with Westmorland and Furness Council.

Do you have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including recording and report writing, organisational skills, an analytical approach to innovative problem solving and an understanding of risk management? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for passionate and enthusiastic Social Care Workers to join our new bank of staff to support teams across Westmorland and Furness. This is an interesting and ambitious programme of change within Adult Social Care which aims to assist us to develop and deliver our goals for the future.

The role is to support adults aged 18+ across Social Work teams enhancing prevention interventions, working to prevent or delay admission into formal support services, supporting people living in the community who have been identified as having long term care and support needs or supporting the admission avoidance and discharge of people from acute and community hospitals.

You will be required to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders from across the health and social care system and third sector and voluntary groups in Westmorland and Furness in ways that recognise strengths, promote independence and prevent, reduce or delay the need for formal support provision. Assessments and reviews will be undertaken in a strengths based way that maximises community resources and ensures people are safe.

The Service will work across health, social care and third sector organisations with a primary focus upon ensuring that all support plans:-

• include robust contingency plans that promote personal resilience to manage temporary changes in need/circumstance
• demonstrate how people will meet their needs from a range of sources, including friends, family, third sector, the community, equipment or assistive technology. Personal budgets will only be allocated for the provision of formal support for identified unmet needs.

We recognise that our workforce is best placed to design and embed new ways of working to achieve a modern social care service able to deliver the best outcomes for the people of Westmorland and Furness. We want you to know you will be fully supported within your role in every way we can, to do what you do best - change lives. Our aim is that you will flourish in this role and gain the skills to apply for a permanent role in future.

Our vision for Adult Social Care is a place where people want to come and work in a workforce who feel supported, empowered and valued for the great work they do. We encourage flexible working, as we believe in a positive work/life balance for our staff; as such we would consider full time, term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time in addition to preferences for areas of work.

Cumbria is more than a place to work. It's a place to live, relax, raise a family and experience the best of both; urban and rural living with some of the world's most beautiful Countryside in the Lake District.

Any Questions? For more information or to discuss further details around what we can offer you or our flexible working options, please contact:

Kerrie Griffiths or Gordon Barwick - Service Managers

Mobile: 07827 282196/07766 504042

kerrie.griffiths@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

gordon.barwick@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

What can we offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise)
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms
• Competitive rates of pay

DBS

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and requires an enhanced DBS check with a Adults Barred List check.

Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with adults. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with adults.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 22/12/2024

Interview date: TBC

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss.

If you are invited to a virtual interview, this will preferably be undertaken using the Microsoft Teams software, which is currently free for new users, however if there are any issues with accessing this technology, we are happy to discuss alternative arrangements prior to the interviews.

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile

Westmorland and Furness Council

Location(s): Kendal

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: £32,076 - £33,024

About this opportunity

We are currently seeking to recruit a Senior Bridge Technician to join our Bridges and Structures team based in Kendal to assist with the management and maintenance of around 1800 highway structures.

The role includes undertaking condition inspections, monitoring and general stewardship of bridges and other highway structures and to record condition and defects accurately, clearly and consistently in accordance with relevant standards and guidelines.

Preferred candidates should have experience of inspecting bridges and recording defects in accordance with the County Surveyors Society Bridge Inspections Manuals on Bridge Condition Indicators Volumes 1 and 2. The role also includes providing technical advice and guidance to colleagues, particularly in local areas, regarding bridges and other highway structures in need of improvement, maintenance and repair.

Knowledge of bridge defects and experience of undertaking bridge inspections is required for this role. Experience of working with contractors involved with improvement, maintenance and repair of structures is also preferable. Knowledge of construction methods and materials used in the construction of highway structures would be advantageous and the ability to record defects accurately, clearly and consistently is essential.

What can we offer you!

• Excellent training and development offers
• Flexible working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Boost your pension with Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributions (facilitated by AVC Wise)
• Various perks and discounts schemes, including money off your phone contract and local gyms
• Competitive rates of pay

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 31/01/2025

Interview date: 12/02/2025

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Options will be discussed with candidates once they have been invited to the interview stage of the process for this specific position, and if you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss.

If you are invited to a virtual interview, this will preferably be undertaken using the Microsoft Teams software, which is currently free for new users, however if there are any issues with accessing this technology, we are happy to discuss alternative arrangements prior to the interviews.

Safer Recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and the Externally Provided Workforce (EPWs) to share this commitment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

Please read the Supporting Information:

Post Specification

Role Profile