The Clerk’s role can be likened to that of a Chief Executive in a larger authority in that they have overall responsibility for all the administrative process of the Town Council. The Clerk is the Council’s head of paid service and manages the Council’s staff.

The Town Clerk:

• is the ‘Proper Officer’ of the Council and as such is under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions and, in particular, to serve or issue all the notifications required by the law of a local authority’s Proper Officer.
• is responsible for ensuring the instructions of the Council in connection with its function as a Local Authority are carried out.
• is expected to advise the Council on, and assist in the formation of, overall policies to be followed in respect of the Authority’s activities and in particular to produce all the information required for making effective decisions and to implement all decisions of the Council.
• is accountable to the Council for the effective management of all its resources.
• is the Responsible Financial Officer and is responsible for the careful administration of its finances in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Council