Toft Newton Parish Council - Vacancy for Clerk/RFO  

Toft Newton Parish Council are seeking to appoint a new Parish Council Clerk, to start in September 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. 

Toft Newton is a rural parish in West Lindsey, Lincolnshire, situated approximately four miles to the west of the historic market town of Market Rasen. 

Covering 935 hectares in the Dunholme and Welton ward, the parish of Toft Newton has approximately 479 residents, spread across the hamlets of Toft Next Newton, Newton by Toft and Newtoft. 

Located adjacent to the former RAF Faldingworth airbase, the parish of Toft Newton hosts a handful of small businesses, a 12th century parish church (St Michael’s) and a 41 acre reservoir on the upper reaches of the river Ancholme. 

Toft Newton Village Hall (separate to the parish council) which contains a social club (also a separate organisation), changing rooms, a good sized kitchen, and a large multipurpose hall, was rebuilt in 2016 using a mixture of national lottery and local authority funding. In 2024, the parish council made a significant grant to the village hall association, match funded by West Lindsey District Council to install 30 photovoltaic solar panels and a 10kw battery. This has safeguarded the Village Hall’s long term future. 

The parish council meet on the first Tuesday of every other month, these meetings are held in the village hall.  

The parish council is responsible for the playing field and park behind the village hall as well as grass cutting around the parish, for which Lincolnshire County Council make an annual contribution towards the cost.  

Toft Newton Parish Council made 12 small plots of land available as allotments in 2019, in the last year, these have mostly become overgrown. Only one plot seems to be being used. The current Clerk is carrying out a survey of recent allotment users to identify current and future needs.  

The parish council currently has five experienced, enthusiastic councillors out of a possible seven. In addition to the Parish Clerk, the parish council also employs a Park / Playground Warden. 

The annual precept in 2024-25 was £10,400. 

As a Parish Council Clerk, you will also be the Responsible Financial Officer and the Proper Officer. 

As this is a statutory post, the Parish Council Clerk, must be at least 18, and will be employed for three hours per week, at SCP 9 through to SCP 11. Currently £13.06 to £13.50 (pay award pending).  

A working from home allowance of £26.00 per calendar month is payable. Mileage will be paid at £0.45 per mile. Annual leave is calculated at 16.8 hours per year. 

• A knowledge of how local councils work would be beneficial, as would experience of working for a town or parish council in a similar role. 

• However, administrative and / or accounting experience, a community spirit and commitment to enhancing the parish is more important. 

• A CiLCA qualification would be advantageous, if you do not hold this qualification, you should be willing to work towards completing this during the first two years in post. 

A laptop will be provided for council use. 

The current Clerk will facilitate a detailed handover, and is currently working on an A to Z manual and an annual work plan to support the handover to the new Clerk. 

The parish councillors / village hall are currently looking at several ideas for improving the parish, these potentially include: 

• Developing a neighbourhood plan. 

• Development of an emergency plan. 

• Installing new play equipment. 

• Buying a piece of woodland in the parish to safeguard it for the enjoyment by current and future generations. 

• Development of a community-based energy generating company. 

It is an exciting time to join Toft Newton Parish Council. 

For further information and an informal conversation please e-mail Michael Lewis, the current Parish Council Clerk on toftnewtonpc@outlook.com. 

Applications via CV and a short covering letter, are to be sent to Michael Lewis, the current Parish Council Clerk on toftnewtonpc@outlook.com or by post to Toft Newton Parish Council, c/o PO Box 1659, Epworth, Doncaster, DN9 1UL, marked Private and Confidential.