Review Officer - (Housing/Homelessness) required for our local authority client based in North London.
THE ROLE:
To carry out the statutory function of reviewing all homeless decisions, offers of accommodation, housing register assessments, where a review is requested.
To ensure that statutory reviews are carried out within the statutory time limits.
To liaise with the Legal Department and Head of Service to defend legal challenges whether that is from judicial review proceedings or Section 204 Housing Act 2004 appeal to the County Court.
In liaison with Head of Service to develop procedures and guidelines for officers.
To develop training programs and train staff in relation to changes in legislation/caselaw/regulations
To ensure that complaints, MP, Member & solicitor enquiries are logged and responded to within target time frames.
To ensure that all housing reviews and appeals (housing register, homelessness decisions, offers of permanent and temporary accommodation), are logged, monitored, and carried out efficiently, and within prescribed time limits
To be responsible for the recruitment of staff, appraisals, disciplinary issues, sickness monitoring, staff training and development and monitoring staff workloads to build and maintain an effective workforce capable of meeting its objectives
Supervise an officer in respect of preparing the budget return for the service, and logging and monitoring complaints, members, MP & Solicitor enquiries.
To liaise with the Allocations Team, Accommodation Services, and the Housing Options & Advice Team to ensure that all relevant information has been gathered to address the requests for reviews of homeless and housing register assessments, and permanent and temporary accommodation offers.
To have regular meetings with the council's Legal Department in order to ensure that Section 204 appeals and judicial review proceedings are defended and to ensure that deadlines are met for witness statements and skeleton arguments in defence of County Court or High Court appeals.
To ensure that legal costs are minimised in relation to threatened/actual court action.
To monitor and prepare reports for the Head of Service and members, on performance in respect of decision reviews and court cases.
To be responsible for developing procedures, guidelines and model letter templates, in relation to taking and processing applications. To take account of good practice initiatives developed by other local authorities and the Communities & Local Govt. Offices.
When appropriate, arrange oral hearings for clients in line with regulation 8 under Section 203 Housing Act 1996.
To examine reports and case notes prepared by the Housing Options & Advice Officers, on cases prepared for review. To identify shortcomings or trends where remedial action is required.
To ensure that the Housing Options & Advice Team is fully aware of current caselaw and of any related legislation/regulations in order that casework is of high quality and that fully informed decisions are reached by officers.
To highlight anomalies/irregularities in the Allocations Scheme (as part of the annual review), homelessness and accommodation procedures, that arise from appeals in order to minimise the risk to the council of court action
To obtain medical reports from GPs/ Consultants and to get recommendations from the 'in-house' medical advisers, the Mental Health Assessment Panel or an independent consultant for the purpose of investigating a review.
Authorise and, where appropriate, make recommendation on the placement into temporary accommodation of persons to whom the Council owes a duty. To exercise discretion in deciding whether to continue providing accommodation pending a review or county court appeal
To take a lead on briefing the council's solicitor and barrister, and to attend court where appropriate, in particular in relation defending legal challenges to homeless decisions or in appeals by the authority to the High Court.
In the absence of other Team Managers to deputise in carrying out the day to day management functions
To arrange and attend meetings and case conferences both internal and with external agencies/other local authorities concerning the work of the section.
To deal with complex correspondence and sensitive issues, e.g. Member's/ MP's enquiries, complaints.
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Experience of developing and delivering training, presentations etc.
Experience of successfully dealing with members, MPs enquiries and complex solicitors enquiries etc.
Experience of Managing Staff
Experience in researching, interpreting and explaining complex legislation and policy.
Highly detailed knowledge of current and emerging housing legislation and case law related to housing advice issues including private sector landlord and tenant law, security of tenure, homelessness law, housing benefit and other welfare benefit regulations, possession proceedings in the county court including court procedure rules, Community legal Services funding rules etc.
Detailed knowledge of the legal challenge's local authorities may face and of the procedures for dealing with them, for example; the judicial review process, county court appeals, court of appeal hearings, court attendance, liaising with the council's Legal Team and barristers.
Please apply with your updated CV ensuring that any gaps in employment are explained.
At this point, may we take this opportunity to thank you for the interest you have shown in this role. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications that we receive, it is not always possible to respond to everyone. Therefore, unless you hear from us within the next 7 days, your application for this vacancy may not have been shortlist by the client.
You can also send your CV direct to: paul.barrow@duttonrecruitment.com
THE ROLE:
To carry out the statutory function of reviewing all homeless decisions, offers of accommodation, housing register assessments, where a review is requested.
To ensure that statutory reviews are carried out within the statutory time limits.
To liaise with the Legal Department and Head of Service to defend legal challenges whether that is from judicial review proceedings or Section 204 Housing Act 2004 appeal to the County Court.
In liaison with Head of Service to develop procedures and guidelines for officers.
To develop training programs and train staff in relation to changes in legislation/caselaw/regulations
To ensure that complaints, MP, Member & solicitor enquiries are logged and responded to within target time frames.
To ensure that all housing reviews and appeals (housing register, homelessness decisions, offers of permanent and temporary accommodation), are logged, monitored, and carried out efficiently, and within prescribed time limits
To be responsible for the recruitment of staff, appraisals, disciplinary issues, sickness monitoring, staff training and development and monitoring staff workloads to build and maintain an effective workforce capable of meeting its objectives
Supervise an officer in respect of preparing the budget return for the service, and logging and monitoring complaints, members, MP & Solicitor enquiries.
To liaise with the Allocations Team, Accommodation Services, and the Housing Options & Advice Team to ensure that all relevant information has been gathered to address the requests for reviews of homeless and housing register assessments, and permanent and temporary accommodation offers.
To have regular meetings with the council's Legal Department in order to ensure that Section 204 appeals and judicial review proceedings are defended and to ensure that deadlines are met for witness statements and skeleton arguments in defence of County Court or High Court appeals.
To ensure that legal costs are minimised in relation to threatened/actual court action.
To monitor and prepare reports for the Head of Service and members, on performance in respect of decision reviews and court cases.
To be responsible for developing procedures, guidelines and model letter templates, in relation to taking and processing applications. To take account of good practice initiatives developed by other local authorities and the Communities & Local Govt. Offices.
When appropriate, arrange oral hearings for clients in line with regulation 8 under Section 203 Housing Act 1996.
To examine reports and case notes prepared by the Housing Options & Advice Officers, on cases prepared for review. To identify shortcomings or trends where remedial action is required.
To ensure that the Housing Options & Advice Team is fully aware of current caselaw and of any related legislation/regulations in order that casework is of high quality and that fully informed decisions are reached by officers.
To highlight anomalies/irregularities in the Allocations Scheme (as part of the annual review), homelessness and accommodation procedures, that arise from appeals in order to minimise the risk to the council of court action
To obtain medical reports from GPs/ Consultants and to get recommendations from the 'in-house' medical advisers, the Mental Health Assessment Panel or an independent consultant for the purpose of investigating a review.
Authorise and, where appropriate, make recommendation on the placement into temporary accommodation of persons to whom the Council owes a duty. To exercise discretion in deciding whether to continue providing accommodation pending a review or county court appeal
To take a lead on briefing the council's solicitor and barrister, and to attend court where appropriate, in particular in relation defending legal challenges to homeless decisions or in appeals by the authority to the High Court.
In the absence of other Team Managers to deputise in carrying out the day to day management functions
To arrange and attend meetings and case conferences both internal and with external agencies/other local authorities concerning the work of the section.
To deal with complex correspondence and sensitive issues, e.g. Member's/ MP's enquiries, complaints.
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Experience of developing and delivering training, presentations etc.
Experience of successfully dealing with members, MPs enquiries and complex solicitors enquiries etc.
Experience of Managing Staff
Experience in researching, interpreting and explaining complex legislation and policy.
Highly detailed knowledge of current and emerging housing legislation and case law related to housing advice issues including private sector landlord and tenant law, security of tenure, homelessness law, housing benefit and other welfare benefit regulations, possession proceedings in the county court including court procedure rules, Community legal Services funding rules etc.
Detailed knowledge of the legal challenge's local authorities may face and of the procedures for dealing with them, for example; the judicial review process, county court appeals, court of appeal hearings, court attendance, liaising with the council's Legal Team and barristers.
Please apply with your updated CV ensuring that any gaps in employment are explained.
At this point, may we take this opportunity to thank you for the interest you have shown in this role. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications that we receive, it is not always possible to respond to everyone. Therefore, unless you hear from us within the next 7 days, your application for this vacancy may not have been shortlist by the client.
You can also send your CV direct to: paul.barrow@duttonrecruitment.com
Salary:
£21 - £27 per hour + PAYE/Umbrella
Location:
North London,
London,
England
Duration:
TBC
Reference:
DUTTON11ENF