Location: You will be expected to attend a CBC office location as often as needed to carry out your role, which will be no less than once per month.
Contract Type: Hybrid - Permanent
Closing Date: 3rd May 2026
Interview Date: 21st May 2026
About the Role
We are looking for experienced, talented and personable individual to join our team. You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or equivalent with a current practising certificate. You will work closely with the Monitoring Officer and Deputy Monitoring Officer to ensure that Central Bedfordshire Council is able to fulfil its statutory, legal and constitutional obligations under the relevant local government legislation.
Responsibilities
- Support and provide advice on governance matters and ethical governance, such as the Council’s Constitution and Officer Schemes of Delegations
- Support and provide advice in relation to adherence to legal and constitutional implications of decision-making including sign off and advice in relation to all decision making reports and Delegated Decision Notices
- Advise on the Council’s compliance with Equalities duties in all areas of decision‑making, ensuring that Executive, committees, and senior officers fulfil the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) when taking decisions including advice on the adequacy and use of Equality Impact Assessments.
- Manage a varied caseload including governance, regulatory and equalities related matters.
- Oversight of Legal Services Contract & commissioning of external legal advice and Counsel opinion acting as a conduit between client and Legal Services in more complex and/or high‑risk matters
Qualifications
- Be a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales or a member of the bar who has completed pupillage/qualified or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives or Chartered Legal Executive with current practising certificate.
Required Skills
- Be experienced in providing legal advice in a local authority setting or a similar complex, political environment.
- Have knowledge of relevant regulations/legislation and best practice in local government law and governance.
- Have strong political acumen, and the ability to work with elected members and interest groups.
- Possess the ability to work across council departments and external organisations in order to collaborate with key stakeholders.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential as you’ll be communicating at all levels, often explaining complex information both in meetings and in written reports.
Preferred Skills
Your remit is varied, so it’s important that you’re adaptable and highly organised. Because of the variety of work and opportunity to be at the forefront of new initiatives, this role should provide an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge and experience.
Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for our roles. Successful applicants that may require a visa will need to consider the options for obtaining and/or maintaining the legal right to live and work in the UK. Please confirm you have right to work in the UK.
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