Enforcement Officer

Full Vacancy Description

Job Title:                   Contracts and Enforcement Officer

Department:              Environment, Leisure and Residents Service

Responsible to:        Contracts and Enforcement Area Manager

Responsible for:       none

Job Profile We are looking for an enforcement officer to join the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council on a temporary basis

The contract will be for an initial three months

The unit works a shift pattern between 7am and midnight and the successful candidate will be expected to work shifts for a total of 36 hours per week

Pay is £15 per hour PAYE or £18.30 umbrella

 Main Purpose of the Job

To ensure by way of enforcement or persuasion that the streets and other open land in the Royal Borough are kept in a clean condition at all times, and are free from litter, staining, dumped waste, graffiti, and fly-posting. 

To ensure by way of enforcement or persuasion that all highways in the Royal Borough are free from obstructions of all kinds, including unlicensed tables and chairs, builders’ materials, protruding and unsafe scaffolding, unlit skips, abandoned bicycles, A-boards (where policy dictates) etc.

To ensure by way of enforcement or persuasion that street trading within the Royal Borough is conducted in a lawful and safe manner, and to deter illegal street trading.

To monitor and supervise the performance of the Council’s recycling, refuse collection and street cleansing contractor, ensuring that all the requirements of the partnership contract and service specifications are met and the highest practicable standards of performance are attained by refuse and street cleansing operatives.

To monitor and supervise the working practices of the contractor’s staff to ensure they are complying with Health and Safety standards, and to survey the premises demised to the contractor to ensure they are maintained satisfactorily and comply with Health and Safety legislation.

To monitor and supervise the working practices of the contractor’s staff to ensure they are complying with Health and Safety standards, and to survey the premises demised to the contractor to ensure they are maintained satisfactorily and comply with Health and Safety legislation.

To work in partnership with the contractors’ managers, supervisors and staff to ensure continuous improvement is achieved in all service areas.  

To solve problems experienced by residents or landlords in relation to recycling and waste management, negotiating the best practicable solutions to meet specific needs within the framework of the Council’s waste management policy and practices.

To promote community safety and reduce residents’ fear of crime.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

To detect and examine waste and litter placed unlawfully on the street or on open land, with a view to identifying the person and/or company responsible and taking appropriate enforcement action against them, and ensuring that the waste and litter is cleared away promptly.

To detect the incorrect use of waste receptacles, in particular the contamination of recycling receptacles by non-recyclable material, and to ensure the prevention of such behaviour by means of advice, education, or enforcement as appropriate; to promote waste reduction, re-use, and recycling.

To inspect and report on gullies, litterbins, paladin bins, and skips and to resolve problems encountered.

To detect graffiti, fly-posting, unauthorised advertising, and sex worker cards with a view to identifying the person and/or company responsible and taking appropriate enforcement action against them, and removing the graffiti, fly-posting, advertising and sex worker cards either personally or by referring the matter to a suitable contractor.

To detect obstructions on the highway, whether on the footway or on the carriageway (including obstructions on highways maintainable at private expense), with a view to identifying the person responsible and taking appropriate enforcement action against them and ensuring the removal of the obstruction. 

To investigate complaints from Councillors, members of the public, local businesses, visitors, and colleagues about any matter that is detrimental to the street scene, and to provide prompt direct feedback to each complainant about the action taken to solve the complaint.

To monitor the work of the operatives employed by the Council’s contractor for recycling, household and commercial waste collection, and street cleansing etc, and to give instructions, advice, guidance, and oral warnings as may be appropriate in the event of any shortfall against the standards required in the contract and required by the Council’s or the contractor’s Quality Assurance systems.

Carry out monthly Health, Safety and Welfare inspections of the demised premises in partnership with contract staff to assess compliance with health and safety standards, making recommendations for improvement and detailing any hazards. 

To monitor all the public conveniences operated by the Council, ensuring that they are fully operational and where necessary reporting defects to the appropriate contractor. 

To detect the unlicensed erection of hoardings or scaffolding around building sites, and to detect the unlicensed depositing of skips or builders’ materials on the highway; and to detect any breach of the conditions placed on any licences for such matters; all with a view to identifying the person and company responsible and taking appropriate enforcement action against them, and ensuring the removal or licensing of any unlicensed objects. 

To detect abandoned vehicles, bicycles, or other objects on the highway and to take such steps as may be necessary in law to ensure that they are removed.

To detect offences relating to driving or cycling on the footway, taking such enforcement action against them as may be appropriate

To detect offences relating to dogs, including dog fouling, dogs without leads, and multiple dog-walking, with a view to identifying the dog owner giving such advice, or taking such enforcement action against them as may be appropriate.

To detect unlawful street trading – including at Notting Hill Carnival, on Portobello and Golborne Markets, and at special events - and to detect any breach of relevant legislation or of the Council’s conditions for trading by a licensed street trader, giving such advice, or taking such enforcement action, as may be appropriate.

To record such data about the state of the street environment as may be required for the purposes of Best Value Performance Indicators, Fly capture, or other monitoring systems.

To undertake surveillance of possible offenders; to interview alleged offenders under caution; to make a recommendation about the appropriate level of enforcement (prosecution, service of notice, issue of fixed penalty notice etc); to serve summonses; to attend court and give evidence.

To note offences in connection with food safety, health and safety at work, trading standards, planning, parking and to report them to appropriate colleagues in the Council.

To co-operate closely with colleagues in Environmental Health to ensure that premises are kept free of any rats and mice detected in waste storage areas, and to ensure so far as practicable that multi-occupied premises have adequate recycling and waste storage space.

To work as directed during the Notting Hill Carnival with a view to ensuring public safety and the protection of residents’ amenity.

To work as directed during any winter or civil emergency to ensure the rapid resumption of normality and the protection of residents, businesses, and visitors.

To lead or participate in such special projects as may be required relating to the overall objectives of the job.

To co-operate with and support the Metropolitan Police, PCSOs, Customs and Excise, the VAT and Benefit Fraud Inspectorates, and any other government enforcement agency, in joint operations; to co-operate with and support colleagues in the Highways and Planning Services in service delivery.

To carry out such other duties as may reasonably be required in connection with the overall objectives of the job.

All staff are expected to carry out their job in compliance with the Councils Constitution. This means being familiar with the policies and procedures relevant to the job and asking for information and advice if you are unsure of the correct course of action. The Council’s Constitution is published on the Interne

In accordance with Tri-Borough working arrangements, your employment will be with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The duties and responsibilities outlined in this job profile are indicative of the role; however, they are not exhaustive and may be subject to change. In addition, you will be required to undertake other reasonable duties as directed by your manager.

Person Specification

Values and Behaviours:

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have identified five key behaviours and values which we share with our Tri-Borough partners and should be demonstrated by all council employees. Successful candidates will show the ability to meet these behaviours.

Equal Opportunities

Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Council policies in relation to Equal Opportunity, Customer Care and service delivery, and the ability to implement these policies in the workplace.

Qualifications:

a recognisable qualification in investigative and criminal procedure

Knowledge and Experience:

At least two years’ relevant experience

A strong desire to maintain high public realm standards, and customer care

A positive, motivated, ‘can-do’ approach to work

Ability to support Senior Management effectively

An innovative thinker, and yet receptive to ideas from others

Excellent communication and listening skills, with the ability to diffuse confrontational situations, and also to learn from others

Working knowledge of relevant legislation and powers (i.e. Environmental Protection Act 1990, Control of Pollution Act 1974, Highways Act 1980), and ability to apply appropriately

Experience and/or willingness to work across boundaries jointly with others to find solutions

Ability to identify and analyse problematic issues (for example, situations affecting street scene or cleanliness, or contractual, or internal performance), and to devise and take appropriate remedial action to improve and maintain excellent standards

Ability to write clear, persuasive, and concise reports requiring minimal editing.

Strong IT skills

Commitment to working within a multi-cultural inner city Borough

A genuine interest in the environment, and waste reduction in particular

Availability to work flexibly according to the demands of the service including weekends, evenings, nights, and bank holidays

Willingness to wear a uniform

Post holders are required to possess a clean full UK driving licence

Desirable

Background in waste management and / or street scene enforcement

Background in contract management

Our Values & Behaviours

We show initiative, drive and determination to get the job done; and constantly to improve what we do.

We determine the right course of action through listening to the needs of our customers

We are accountable for our actions and the decisions we make

We help others to be productive, independent and make informed decisions

We are ambitious in creating new solutions which bring about substantial benefit

We challenge ourselves to be the best we can be

We take pride in providing public services to our communities

We work as a team to support one another to be the best we can be for our customers

We provide local leadership and work with partners jointly to develop and deliver services

We listen to one another and respect one another’s point of view

We challenge one another respectfully and constructively, working together to resolve issues

We treat everyone with courtesy, fairness and transparency

We seek the best deal when looking for ways to improve value for money and reduce cost.

We look for new ways to generate growth, income and maximise commercial potential

We take managed and considered risks to enable us to achieve the best outcomes.