Wrexham County Borough Council s3

ID2156 Paralegal Officer

WREXHAM COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL JOB DESCRIPTION

DETAILS OF THE JOB

JOB TITLE Paralegal Officer Corporate & customer Services DEPARTMENT Legal Services Section SERVICE/TEAM REPORTS TO (JOB TITLE & JOB SeniorSe Solicitor (Place Team) ID) Guildhall WORKBASE LOCATION L07 GRADE

IS WELSH ESSENTIAL or DESIRABLE FOR THE JOB (See Please indicate as Vacancy Management Form) - Criteria: appropriate - Insert a Yes (essential) or No (desirable) The post needs to assist welsh speakers – internal employees No and/or service users Is this a post in which contact with the public is its primary No function (external)? Is this a post providing a public service in a Welsh language No community or will serve a welsh speaking area (Rhos/Ponciau, Glyn Ceiriog, Ceiriog Valley, Coedpoeth)? DBS Check only: Yes DOES THE POST REQUIRE A DBS/BARRED LIST CHECK? or No 17DBS September & Barred 2014 List VERSION CONTROL (INSERT DATE OF DEVELOPMENT)

SECTION 1: JOB PURPOSE

To support the Senior Solicitor (Place Team) in delivering the legal services provided by the team by managing a caseload of legal matters.

To assist other members of the team in delivering project work by undertaking allocated tasks.

1 ID2156 Paralegal Officer

SECTION 3: PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Description of Principal Duty or Responsibility NO. 1 To manage and supervise all aspects of sales of Council housing stock under the statutory Right to Buy to include consideration and approval of requests for exempt disposals recovering repayment of discount on relevant disposals, considering and approving consents to postpone the Council’s discount charge, advising on issues relating to boundaries, rights of way and covenants, redemption of mortgages.

2 To advise on leasehold management issues on ex-Council flats relating to service charges, ground rent, consent for structural repairs, assignment of leases, change of ownership as required.

3 To prepare legal documentation governing occupation of property falling within the Council’s economic development portfolio, including industrial units, Town Centre shops, shops on housing estates and market stalls to include advising on the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and preparing and issuing Notices to Quit and other associated advice.

4 To verify ownership on all grant related matters including disabled facilities, group repair schemes, house renovation grants and housing above retail premises scheme and advise client departments on issues such as possessory title, restrictive covenants, family and succession law and to recover sums due on disposals during qualifying period in accordance with the relevant legislation and relevant legal process.

5 To prepare licences for rights over Council land, e.g. rights of way, grazing, bee keeping etc.

6 To prepare reports on title and deal with release of covenants and applications for registration to the Land Registry.

7 To prepare standard form contracts including building contracts and ensure all relevant documentation is executed and completed by contractors including provision of a bond or parent company guarantee when required.

8 To advise, prepare and draft Orders and Notices giving effect to permanent and temporary Traffic Regulation Orders and Notices in accordance with the relevant Road Traffic legislation.

9 To deal with the relevant processes under the Advance Payment Code Notice under the Highways Act 1980 and deal with the preparation, drafting and completion of Deeds of Dedication and Section 38 Agreements and Bonds for the adoption of roads.

10 To deal with all relevant legal steps required in connection with the diversion, closure, creation and extinguishment of public rights of way under the relevant legislation.

11 To supervise/oversee the work of the Clerical Assistant in the Place Team e.g. Council house sales and business tenancies.

12 To deal with completion of standard agreements under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

13 To deal with registration of legal charges in respect of residential care home fees.

14 To undertake such other duties arising out of the functions and responsibilities of the Head of Corporate and Customer Services as may from time to time be assigned to the post.

15 Equal Opportunities: The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policies.

16 Health and Safety: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Health and Safety policies and procedures.

17 Training: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Training and Appraisal policies and procedures.

18 Council Policies: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures, in particular data protection, confidentiality, ICT, code of conduct, employee handbook and customer care. Further information / advice is available from Human Resources and copies of these documents can also be found on the Intranet.

OPTIONAL SECTION 4: NATIONAL STANDARDS AND COMPETENCIES (I.e. Social Care)

Not applicable for this post

SECTION 5: CONTEXT STATEMENT

The Legal Services Section provides legal services to client departments across the Council but instructions are most likely to emanate from the Assets and Economic Development Department and Housing, Public Protection and Environment Department for this post.

The postholder will require knowledge of the law relating to property (freehold and leasehold), Landlord and Tenant in commercial premises, highways and rights of way, and the law relating to contracts. The post holder will require experience of preparing legal documents at a level commensurate with the post.

SECTION 6: CONTACTS

Outline the job title of Describe fully the nature of the interaction Internal the contact and with contact, including the most extensive Contact or organisation with skill, accountability, decision making External whom the contact is expected. Outline the approximate Contact based with. frequency of contact. (delete) Client departments Obtaining instructions, giving Internal across the Council legal advice and ensuring that dealing with senior legal documents in a transaction officers if required. reflect that. Daily External legal advisors Dealing with legal transactions External representing third in correspondence, email on the parties telephone. Daily Occasionally dealing Queries relating to for example Internal with members in Council house sales or land response to queries ownership. Occasional

Standard Job Description Clauses for all posts:

Job Evaluation: This job description has been compiled to support the job evaluation process. The Council has adopted the GLPC Job Evaluation Scheme as from 2007.

Other Duties: The duties and responsibilities in this job description are not exhaustive. The postholder may be required to undertake other duties that may be required from time to time within the general scope of the post. Any such duties should not substantially change the general character of the post. Duties and responsibilities outside the general scope of this grade of post will be with consent of the post holder.

Review: This is a description of the job as it is presently constituted. It is the Council’s practice to periodically examine job descriptions and update them to ensure they accurately reflect the job required to be performed or to incorporate proposed changes. The post holder will be consulted upon and all employees are expected to participate fully in such discussions. It is the Council's aim to reach agreement on reasonable change, but if agreement is not possible, the Council reserves the right to insist on changes to the job description after consultation with the individual concerned.

1 - Standard Job Description Clauses for employee posts: Equal Opportunities: The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policies.

Health and Safety: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Training: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s Training and Appraisal policies and procedures.

Council Policies: The post holder is required to carry out duties in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures, in particular data protection, confidentiality, ICT, code of conduct, employee handbook and customer care. Further information / advice is available from Human Resources and copies of these documents can also be found on the Intranet.

Review: This is a description of the job as it is presently constituted. It is the Council’s practice to periodically examine job descriptions and update them to ensure they accurately reflect the job required to be performed or to incorporate proposed changes. The post holder will be consulted upon and all employees are expected to participate fully in such discussions. It is the Council's aim to reach agreement on reasonable change, but if agreement is not possible, the Council reserves the right to insist on changes to the job description after consultation with the individual concerned.

SECTION 7: STRUCTURE CHART

HEAD OF CORPORATE AND CUSTOMER SERVICES

LEGAL SERVICES MANAGER

SENIOR SOLICITOR PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR (PLACE TEAM) (PEOPLE TEAM)

Solicitor Senior Solicitor Senior Solicitor Senior solicitor Solicitor

Legal Executive

Legal Officer Solicitor Solicitor Solicitor Clerical Assistant Solicitor Solicitor Senior Legal Officer

Senior Legal Officer Court Liaison Officer

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Requirement Essential Desirable Measured by*

Qualifications Professional qualification with the Institute of Legal  F/I/C Executives or Licensed Conveyancer OR relevant experience of working in a legal practice Specialist Knowledge Experience of handling a non-contentious caseload  F/I with a minimum of supervision Knowledge of the governing legislation and  F/I procedures relating to Conveyancing, Landlord and Tenant (Residential and Business) and other property transactions. Knowledge of legislation and procedures relating to Contracts. Knowledge and experience of the law relating to  F/I Development (Town and Country Planning), Highways, Road Traffic and Rights of Way Experience of working within and to relevant  F/I statutory frameworks, legislation and agreed policies and procedures Practical and Intellectual Skills The capacity to effectively manage a full and varied  F/I caseload Ability to work with a minimum of supervision  F/I Management and supervisory experience  F/I Good communication skills both oral and written  F/I Ability to develop and maintain good working  F/I relationships with staff at all levels of the Council Ability to communicate in Welsh  C/I ICT skills  F/I Personal Attributes Enthusiasm, commitment, drive and stamina  F/I Ability to work under pressure  F/I Personal Circumstances Ability to travel across the County Borough to carry  F/I out work (e.g. attend meetings / visit clients or work sites) Equality Knowledge of and commitment to Equality and  F/I Diversity Understanding of the importance of Welsh  F/I Language and Culture

* Each of the requirements specified must be measurable. Please indicate the approach that will be taken to assess whether applicants meet the requirements: F Job Application Form C Certificate of Qualification I Interview T Test

PART 2

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION Ensuring appropriate legal documentation is completed to meet the requirements of a particular transaction which will involve selecting the appropriate documentation and tailoring it to the transaction in question. This may involve advising the client on the implications of certain provisions within documentation and if required, adding bespoke clauses. Contributing to creation of streamlined procedures and any associated documents, working with clients and other team members as appropriate. DECISIONS – DISCRETION Transactions are dealt with in line with the requirements of the client department and in accordance with the relevant legal and statutory frameworks, but the post-holder will need to ensure that bespoke drafting in each transaction meets the relevant requirements and will be negotiating with external solicitors to that extent. DECISIONS – CONSEQUENCES Failure to ensure that all relevant clauses are included in a lease may mean that the Council has no recourse to a tenant in respect of repairing a property or that the Council is unable to recover the proper level of service charge. RESOURCES The post holder will be responsible for receiving cheques and processing. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that deeds are properly stored and that Council records are updated. WORK DEMANDS Interruptions and re-prioritisation of work will be a daily occurrence in response either to client demand or requests from external parties e.g. a prospective tenant. PHYSICAL DEMANDS Much of the post holder’s work will be desk based requiring use of a computer. WORKING CONDITIONS Office based with occasional site visits or meetings with client departments in other buildings. WORK CONTEXT No significant issues other than desk based/computer use.