Senior Liaison And Enforcement Officer - Req24631

Job title:Senior Liaison & Enforcement Officer

Salary: SO1    SCP23-25 (£32,076 - £33,945)

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: The post-holder will be required to work at various Leeds City Council sites within the Leeds district. This role also provides an opportunity for home working.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest licensing authorities in the country. 

The Entertainment Licensing Section has responsibility for various licensing regimes, including the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005.

As a Senior Liaison & Enforcement Officer you will have responsibility for providing timely and efficient delivery of the Council’s licensing compliance and Enforcement functions in accordance with statutory provisions and the council’s policies and procedures.

The activities of the Liaison & Enforcement Team are varied and will involve, but not exclusively, compliance inspections of licensed premises, including outdoor events, the investigation of complaints associated with licensed and unlicensed activities, taking forward legal action in accordance with statutory provisions and the service’s enforcement concordat, and providing a liaison service.

You will work in partnership with a variety of external agencies and council services, together with elected members, MPs, residents, and the licensed trade.

In 2023, the Entertainment Licensing Enforcement team, along with a number of key partners, won the category: Solving Problems with Partners Award at the West Yorkshire Policing Awards.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Senior Liaison & Enforcement Officer, you will bring to the role:

• Law enforcement experience within the last 18 months 
• Knowledge of the following: Licensing Act 2003; Gambling Act 2005; Street and House to House Collections; Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000; Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984
• Experience of preparing witness statements, evidence gathering and preparing criminal prosecution packages
• Experience of digesting, interpreting, and working to governing legislation or procedures
• Have a full driving licence

About the role 

The Entertainment Licensing Section is a very busy service dealing with the administration and Enforcement of various licensing regimes. Primarily these are the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005, Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, plus other regulations, licences, and registrations including sex establishments, charity collections, places of marriage, and hypnotism. As a Senior Liaison & Enforcement Officer in a small team, you will play a pivotal role in the effective and timely delivery of the service’s licensing and Enforcement functions; ensuring licensable operations are being carried out in accordance with the respective licensing regulations. 

In addition to the primary compliance and Enforcement functions of the role, you will also play a key part as a member of the Leeds Safety Advisory Group working with, and offering guidance to, event organisers planning events, from small and medium-sized events to large-scale events, such as Leeds Festival, Leeds Carnival, etc. It is therefore essential that you have strong interpersonal skills. You will be responsible for a busy and challenging workload; therefore, you will need to be organised, and self-motivated with a strong customer focus, and an effective team player.

You will also represent the service at a range of meetings and forums, committee hearings and provide evidence before the courts and committees.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. 

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Seamus Kennedy, Principal Liaison & Enforcement Officer. Call 0113 37 85029 or email seamus.kennedy@leeds.gov.uk .

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an age-friendly employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
 
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job purpose

Entertainment Licensing deals with the administration and Enforcement of various licensing regimes. Primarily these are the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005, Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, plus other regulations, licences, and registrations including sex establishments, charity collections, places of marriage, and hypnotism. 

The activities of the Liaison & Enforcement Team are varied and involve, but not exclusively, compliance inspection of licensed premises, the investigation of complaints associated with licensed and unlicensed activities, partnership working, taking forward legal action in accordance with statutory provisions and the service’s enforcement concordat, and providing a liaison service for all stakeholders. 

The Team is involved in the programme of licensed outdoor events taking place throughout the Leeds district, and is partner to the Leeds Safety Advisory Group, having access to and reviewing event documentation and attending events for the purpose of licence compliance.

Responsibilities 

Carry out daytime office/home-based tasks combined with daytime, evening, weekend, and bank holiday duties conducting visits, enquiries, and compliance inspections, and contribute to multi-agency operations. 

Act as case officer for a number of allocated complaints, investigations, licence reviews and prosecutions.

Attend court and licensing committee hearings, either in the capacity as case officer and/or as a witness to give testimony. 

Work under the direction of the Principal Liaison & Enforcement Officer, but at the same time work to their own initiative in this busy team, and in partnership with other enforcement services internal and external to the Council.

Liaise with and provide specialist licensing advice and guidance to businesses, residents, elected members, and MPs. Represent the service at trade, public and partnership forums.

To have and develop personal knowledge in relation to relevant legislation.

To carry out compliance checks of licensed premises and contribute to multi-agency partnership operations.

To record, investigate and monitor complaints and alleged offences.  Gather evidence, prepare witness statements and prosecution files in accordance with RIPA, PACE, and other legislative requirements. 

Prepare and submit applications for licence reviews, support licence reviews made by other parties, as appropriate and present evidence before the Licensing Committee.

To contribute to the Leeds Safety Advisory Group (SAG) for Outdoor Events, review event documentation and conduct onsite compliance checks.

Provide clear and concise correspondence.

Update, maintain and interrogate records using the service’s specialist database software.

To carry out such other duties as may be reasonably required commensurate with the post-holder’s grade, experience, training, and general level of responsibility within the Council.

To receive or deliver training as required.

The post-holder will be required to work at various Leeds City Council sites within the Leeds district. This role also provides an opportunity for home working.

The post-holder will be required to attend premises that are not under the control of Leeds City Council such as licensed venues and event sites.

The role involves an element of working outdoors, occasionally on rough terrain; for example, event/green field sites. There will also be regular occasions of working in the busy evening and night-time economy.

On a typical day there will be need to visit multiple sites across the Leeds district and to travel during outside of office hours or to sites where public transport is not feasible. The service does not provide transport and consequently access to use of a vehicle is a necessity. The post does provide essential car user allowance, where the post-holder satisfies the eligibility criteria.

Given that the Section deals in the licensing of sex establishments and film certifications there may be occasions when the post-holder is required to deal with matters of an adult and sexual nature. This post would not be suitable for any person under 18 years of age. 

The basic working week is 37 hours. This will include evening/early morning, weekend, and public holidays. The service does not work to a shift pattern, and working hours will be determined and agreed by the nature of the work and service demands. 

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

An essential car allowance scheme applies to this post, which is dependent on the post-holder satisfying individual eligibility criteria.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Knowledge of the following:

• Licensing Act 2003 
• Gambling Act 2005 
• Street and House to House Collections regulations
• Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
• Full Driving Licence
• Co-ordinating work within set deadlines
• Working effectively with minimum supervision and to own initiative
• Digesting, interpreting, and working to governing legislation or procedures
• Working as a member of a team and in a multi-agency environment 
• Producing concise and comprehensive correspondence, reports, and guidance
• Working knowledge and use of MS Office and database software. 
• Have current, or recent law enforcement work experience as an Enforcement Officer within the last 18 months. 
• Preparing witness statements, evidence gathering and preparing criminal prosecution packages

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics 

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities. 
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade. 
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.  
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post.  Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates. 

Knowledge of the following:

• Health & Safety legislation

Experience of the following: 

• Licensing Act 2003 
• Gambling Act 2005 
• Street and House to House Collections regulations
• Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
• Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984
• Health & Safety legislation
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
• Providing evidence before the courts
• Provided training, briefings, or advice to third parties on regulatory regimes
• Attended, and contributed to meetings in a professional capacity