Local Government Administrator

Also known as:

Administrator, Local Government
Council Administrator

Introduction

Local government administrators provide administrative support to professional and technical staff. They work in a variety of departments and carry out a wide range of tasks including running departments efficiently and managing budgets. Duties may include serving on committees, preparing reports and managing staff.

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Work Activities

Local government is diverse. Funded by public money, it is responsible for providing a very wide range of services. Administrators are vital to the organisation of every service area. Their duties vary according to the department they work in. There are departments that deal with services such as housing, education, environmental health, social work, planning, transport, tourism, libraries, leisure and recreation. Each department has its own committee of councillors. These committees decide how to spend their budget and what priority they should give to certain plans.

Local government administrators support the work of elected council representatives. Administrators put policy decisions into practice as quickly and smoothly as possible.

They make sure committees run smoothly, and work closely with professionals, managers, technicians and front-line staff in all occupational areas. Administrators arrange times for meetings, decide where to hold them and book the venue. They draw up the agenda and photocopy any documents the committee will need in advance. Often, administrators must dispatch the agenda to everyone who needs it within an agreed period of time (three days, for example). Administrators send the agenda to all councillors and also to the press. After the meeting, they make sure that clerical staff type up the minutes and send them to committee members.

Committees often need to look at facts and figures relating to an issue before they can make a decision about it. The administrator has to gather the relevant information and statistics and use them to produce discussion documents, budget forecasts and reports.

Administrators need to view policies objectively - including the ones they do not agree with. They also have to accept that policies may change if control of the council changes following an election. This could mean undoing work that the administrator has already completed.

The administrator has to liaise with colleagues in various departments, such as accountants in treasuries or surveyors in property, in order to put council policy into practice. Senior administrators are also concerned with improving their own departments. They may look at existing procedures and practices to make them more efficient.

Administrators may recruit staff, plan and supervise their work, arrange training and carry out appraisals.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a local government administrator, you need to have excellent planning and organising skills. You must be able to work to deadlines, pay close attention to detail, think quickly and use your initiative.

You have to communicate effectively and get on with people from all backgrounds.

You must be able to analyse information to write documents and reports. You will also need IT skills to produce reports and statistics.

You must be able to give clear and concise explanations to the committees. You must be politically aware and will need to use tact and diplomacy when liaising with councillors of various political parties.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salaries are linked to a national scale, but vary depending on the local authority and level of responsibility.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

New entrants earn in the range of £16,000 - £21,000 a year, rising to around £23,000 - £26,500 a year for qualified and experienced staff.

Most administrators work 35-40 hours, Monday to Friday. Full-time, part-time, temporary and flexible working arrangements may be available.

Employment is in local authority departments, for example, housing and tourism, throughout the UK. There is a steady demand for administrators, though there may be considerable competition for posts. Temporary and casual work may often be available in local authority departments. Some councils operate a 'temporary register' of available individuals.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have developed skills in administrative or clerical work.

• 27% of local government administrators work part-time.
• 53% have flexible hours.
• 8% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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