Licensing Officer

Full Vacancy Description

Job Description                              Licensing Officer

Purpose Of Post:

The role is responsible for ensuring compliance is achieved and maintained across the licensing functions.

To carry out the professional duties of an Upper Licensing Officer, by the application of applicable laws protecting the public, providing a fair and safe business environment to ensure and enforce compliance.

Proactively lead and direct complex compliance and enforcement case work including gathering internal and external advice of all forms as appropriate.

Organisation Chart:

Licensing & Compliance Manager

Lead Senior Licensing Officer

Upper Licensing Officer

Licensing Officer

Licensing Apprentice

Principal Responsibilities:

Ensure and carry out compliance inspections, initiatives, visits and investigations in relation to the following areas of activity and others as required:

Private Hire and Hackney Carriage trade

The Licensing Act 2003

The Gambling Act 2005

Street trading consents

House to house and street collections

Scrap Metal dealers.

Sexual Entertainment Venues

Pavement licensing

Other licensing function activities

Deal with queries, complaints and liaise with internal and external service providers in relation to licensing activities.

Exercise professional expertise in a range of duties and responsibilities as allocated by the Lead Senior Licensing Officer.

Provide necessary and appropriate specialist and detailed advice and information regarding licensing law and associated Council licensing policy.

Work collaboratively and in partnership with representatives of external bodies, including the Police, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue, Trading Standards and Borders Agency, etc. To represent the service on issues relating to the work of a Licensing Officer in an ambassadorial role at meetings and events where appropriate.

Record and investigate complaints taking appropriate enforcement actions, as necessary. To ensure all records, evidence, investigation and information gathered in the course of duties are stored and handled in line with national legislation (e.g. DPA CPIA, PACE, RIPA and DPA) and legal guidelines.

Contribute to the researching, specific project planning, proposing and developing of appropriate compliance improvements and communicate these issues back through Lead Senior Licensing Officer so that they can be addressed and form improved or enhanced service delivery.

Manage all public registers of statutory licensing information and other records as per legislative requirements including Council’s website, articles and press releases.

Attend Council Committee/ Sub-Committee meetings and Court Hearings in relation to licensing activities presenting evidence and reports, as necessary.

Keep informed of all appropriate best practice, legislation and central government policies and undertake internal and external training where necessary, keeping up to date with changes in legislation and to implement those which will affect the service.

Use appropriate software to produce, letters, preparation and presentation of reports for Licensing Committee, plus preparation of evidence for legal proceedings. To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post as necessary and as required by Head of Service, or Licensing and Compliance Manager.

Dimensions:

Supervisory Management:

No direct responsibility.

Financial Resources:

Deals with financial resources through processing of monetary transactions in accordance with the Service’s control procedures and the Council's regulations but has no specific budgetary responsibilities.

Context:

The Licensing Service is responsible for application and processing of all forms of Licences, Permits, Registrations, Consents, Certificates and Notices under the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Premises Licences, Sex Establishments, Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver, Vehicle and Operator, Lottery Registrations, House to House, Street Collections, Animal Boarding, Pet Shop, Scrap Metal Dealers, Riding Establishments, Zoo’s, Cooling Tower Notifications, Performing Animals, Environmental Permitting, Tattooists. Piercing and Electrolysis, Dangerous Wild Animals, Petroleum Storage, Explosives, Poisons, Street Trading Consents, temporary street furniture on the public highway, Animal Movement and Public Weighbridge Operator Certificate in the Borough and other related licensing legislation.

The postholder will undertake a range of complex licensing functions under only general guidance of the Lead Senior Licensing Officer as required.

The post may include working during unsociable hours.

Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. Therefore, it is essential in making your application you disclose whether you have any pending charges, convictions, bind-overs or cautions and, if so, for which offences. This post will be exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exemptions) (Amendments) Order 1986. Therefore, applicants are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provision of the Act, and, in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such convictions will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority. The fact that a pending charge, conviction, bind-over or caution has been recorded against you will not necessarily debar you from consideration for this appointment.

Person Specification Upper Licensing Officer

This acts a selection criteria and give an outline of the type of person and the characteristics required to do the job.

Experience

Knowledge of local authority functions.

Experience within a licensing or regulatory team .

Demonstrable experience in dealing with the public and commercial organisations.

Experience of working in a legislative environment and presenting cases at formal legal hearings

Experience of working in a multidisciplinary setting

Skills / Abilities

Able to demonstrate a sound understanding and knowledge of up to date licensing legislation and its practical application to ensure effective compliance.

Demonstrate ability to communicate assertively and effectively with a wide range of people.

Able to communicate and deal politely and tactfully, including in an interviewing capacity, with a wide range of people, in person and by telephone.

Demonstrate ability to prioritise and manage workload including conflicting and time critical demands.

Demonstrable ability to produce factual and highly accurate complex documents, and work procedures, write a range of letters and straightforward reports and process applications.

Able to use a range of PC applications, including word, Excel or equivalent and databases.

Undertake investigative and project work within deadlines and targets.

Able to maintain accurate manual and computer based records.

Demonstrable knowledge of the legal frame work when conducting investigations. CPIA 1996 RIPA 2000

Demonstrable experience in investigating, interviewing and negotiating skills.

PACE code E-F

Work independently, with limited supervision on a regular basis, recognising personal limits and when to ask for assistance and support.

Takes the opportunity to build confidence in Licensing regulatory function with both the trade and the public.

Experience in basic vehicle inspections.

Able to make impartial and ethical decisions to solve problems creatively and work on your own initiative, as well as an ability to pay close attention to detail with the ability to assess and mitigate risk.

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, particularly: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer

Equality Issues

Understanding of the effects of discrimination on services and the people they are working with.

Specialist Knowledge

Demonstrable knowledge of Licensing law and awareness of licensing enforcement procedures.

Some knowledge of court and enforcement procedure, including, knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Knowledge of the Licensing Act 2003.

knowledge of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing.

Skills to develop and participate in partnership working.

Education and Training

Training relevant to licensing inspections

An on-going desire for personal development through appropriate training.

Advanced Professional Certificate in investigating practice or demonstrable equivalent experience.

Any licensing qualification (e.g. Certificate of Licensing Law and Practice)

Licensing related qualification such as BTEC or NVQ level 4 or equivalent qualifications and experience, or to work towards these qualification.

Other Requirements

Able to undertake inspections on premises throughout the Borough.

Able to attend site visits / meetings throughout the Borough (when required) with access to own vehicle with relevant business insurance.

Current and valid driving licence.

Able to move around the borough by use of a vehicle on a casual basis.