Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................. 3
Work for us ................................................................................................................................ 3
Applying for this job .................................................................................... 4
UK Border Agency – Points based system for migrant workers ........................................... 4
About the job profile ................................................................................................................. 4
Job Profile and Person Specification....................................................................................... 5
Completing your application .................................................................................................... 9
Hints and tips to help with your application .......................................................................... 12
The employment package ......................................................................... 14
Pay and Benefits ..................................................................................................................... 14
Learning and development ..................................................................................................... 14
Hours of work .......................................................................................................................... 14
Annual leave entitlement ........................................................................................................ 15
Working conditions ................................................................................................................. 16
Other benefits .......................................................................................................................... 16
Relocation assistance ............................................................................................................. 16
About Woking Borough Council............................................................... 18
Our culture ............................................................................................................................... 18
Our vision and values .......................................................................................................... 18
People Strategy .................................................................................................................... 19
Two Ticks Employer ............................................................................................................ 19
Investors in People .............................................................................................................. 19
Equality and diversity .......................................................................................................... 19
Sustainable development .................................................................................................... 19
Internal communication....................................................................................................... 20
Our business ........................................................................................................................... 20
Staff structure ...................................................................................................................... 20
Council structure ................................................................................................................. 21
Key priorities ........................................................................................................................ 21
Our performance ..................................................................................................................... 21
Modern local government ................................................................................................... 21
Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) ............................................................. 22
Best Value ............................................................................................................................ 22
Transformation government ................................................................................................... 22
Customer focus...................................................................................................................... 23
About Woking Borough............................................................................. 24
A great location ......................................................................................................................... 24
A diverse population ............................................................................................................... 24
Business in Woking ................................................................................................................... 24
Leisure in Woking ...................................................................................................................... 25
Living in Woking...................................................................................................................... 25
What to do next .......................................................................................... 26
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
2
Introduction
You have been sent this application guide in response to an enquiry that you made about a current
vacancy within our organisation.
In the following pages, you should find all of the information that you will need to help you:
 decide whether to apply for the job
 maximise your chances of success.
You are advised to read the entire pack carefully before completing your application form.
If you cannot find the answer to a question in this guide or if you would like to discuss a particular
aspect of employment with us, you can contact a member of our Human Resources team by
calling 01483 743858 or email hr@woking.gov.uk
Work for us
By enquiring about this job, you have taken the first step towards working for an exciting,
forward-thinking organisation that supports its staff and provides excellent working conditions.
The Council is an accredited Investor in People and has retained this accreditation since April
1995. This means that it prioritises the need to provide learning opportunities for employees and
recognises that it can only achieve its business objectives through a highly trained workforce.
In addition, the Council values diversity and is keen to reflect the community in our workforce. We
welcome applications from all members of the public, including people who are disabled and/or
from black and minority ethnic communities.
With the right people in the right jobs we can ensure that the people in our Borough receive the
best possible services. Hopefully, after reading this guide you will feel that you want to join our
committed team of almost 600 staff.
Thank you for your interest in Woking Borough Council and working for us. We look
forward to receiving your application.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
3
Applying for this job
Within this section of the application guide you will find:
 a copy of the job description
 a copy of the person specification
 information about how to apply
 hints and tips to help with your application.
You are advised to read all of the information carefully before starting to complete the application
form – this will ensure that you have the best possible chance of success.
UK Border Agency – Points based system for migrant workers
Woking Borough Council is not currently licensed as a sponsor and can not employ migrant
workers outside the EEA & Switzerland under the ‘Points Based System’ rules issued by the UK
Border Agency (Home Office).
About the job profile
The job description explains the key responsibilities of the position and gives details of the tasks
that the successful candidate will be expected to carry out.
About the person specification
The person specification sets out the skills, qualities and attributes that we are looking for in the
successful candidate. We believe that the items on the list are either essential or desirable for the
person to be able to do the job well. It is extremely important that you consider how you fit the
person specification so that you demonstrate your strengths on the application form.
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Job Profile and Person Specification
Position:
Service Desk Support Officer (2 Year Fixed Term)
Linked Grade:
106 - 113
Team:
Infrastructure Team
Business Area:
Information Technology
Responsible to:
The Service Desk Manager
Job Purpose:
To provide first line support for all calls / requests for service relating to the ICT environment,
including network infrastructure, server infrastructure, data communications, and
telecommunications systems.
To provide operational support for the ICT hardware, systems and network.
Responsible for the production of large print requirements.
To follow the ICT procedures for ICT asset management including software licensing.
Generic responsibilities







To provide the service in accordance with the Council’s Vision & Values statements
To work effectively with colleagues in delivering a high quality service through excellent team
working and good communication
To provide excellent customer service
To work in a flexible manner and to be willing to undertake other duties as reasonably
requested including outside of office hours and on call duties.
Adoption and development of new ways of working
To manage projects in accordance with the Councils project management standards.
To ensure that all ICT upgrades/implementations adhere to the WBC change Control
Procedures.
Key areas of responsibility:
Strategy & Planning
 Ensure that the ICT Service Desk Manager is fully informed of any ICT support,
maintenance and project implementation issues that arise, in a timely manner.
Acquisition & Deployment
 Negotiate with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure infrastructure-specific
products and services.
 Assist with the planning and carry out the deployment of infrastructure security measures.
 Assist with the set up and deployment of PC’s laptops and thin client devices.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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Operational Management
 Maintaining and developing the ICT Service Desk.
 Provide 1st level support for all infrastructure systems, including network infrastructure,
server infrastructure, data communications, and telecommunications systems.
 Ensure the Service Desk is updated with the status of all service desk calls.
 Production of large volume printing / specialist printing.
 ICT asset management, including maintenance of component inventory and related
documentation.
 Provide operational support for the ICT environment in respect of the server backups, and
power down/ reloads.
 Provide operational support in respect of the Business Areas for file downloads in
accordance with the WBC security policies.
 Provide administrative support for ICT as required.
 Ensure changes are managed as per the ICT change control procedures
 Ensure that the latest published GCSX connection requirements and the Woking Borough
Council Information Security policy, is adhered to when providing access to the WBC
network.
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) – to be agreed from Service Plan:
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title:
Service Desk Support Officer
Criteria
Education
training
Standard
& 
E/D
Measure
E
App form
D
App form
Microsoft Office products.
Windows Server and operational
system support.
Network & Telephony System
Support.
E
E
App form
App form
E
App form
E
Int / Test
E
Int / Test
D
D
Int
Int


Troubleshooting skills for the
network
&
telephony
infrastructure.
Knowledge of ICT hardware
Including servers and storage.
Knowledge of Citrix technology.
Knowledge of network security
systems.
Knowledge of telephony systems.
Knowledge of Active Directory.
D
D
Int
Int
Motivation



Committed to Customer Service.
Self motivated.
Desire to learn new ICT skills.
E
E
E
Int
Int
Int
Personality/
disposition





Ability to work under pressure.
Well organised.
Team worker.
Good communication skills.
Ability to work with staff at all
levels within the organisation.
Willingness to take direction from
colleagues.
Desire to comply with agreed
operational standards and
procedures.
E
E
E
E
E
Int
Int
Int
Int
Int
E
Int
E
Int
E
Int
E
Int

Experience



Special Skills






Special
Requirements


GCSE standard (English & Maths)
or equivalent.
Degree level or relevant ICT
experience
Some evening and weekend may
be required.
On-call duties may reasonably be
requested for this role.
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Key:
E/D – Essential/Desirable
App form – Application form
Int – Interview
Test – interview test may be required.
Candidate Screening:
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 applies
Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure: Not required
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Completing your application
In this section, you will find guidance about the application process.
Completing the application form
You can complete an online application form by visiting www.surreyjobs.info. You can also
download an application form from the site, or complete the one enclosed if this guide has been
posted to you.
Completed application forms (those not returned through www.surreyjobs.info) should be posted
to:
Human Resources, Woking Borough Council
Civic Offices
Gloucester Square
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6YL
Key dates
The closing date for applications and the interview date are shown in the advertisement and the
covering letter sent with this application guide.
Short-listing for interview
Your application will be assessed following the closing date. Unfortunately, we are unable to
respond to every applicant. Therefore, if you do not hear from us within three weeks of the closing
date, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Those candidates who have been selected for interview will be sent a letter to confirm the interview
arrangements.
Interview expenses
Candidates attending an interview will be reimbursed expenses on completion of a claim form.
These will be available at interview on request.
References
References will be required and nominated referees should include, if possible, the applicant's
present or last employer. References for short-listed candidates are normally taken up prior to
interview but there is a facility on the application form for applicants to request that their current
employer is not contacted at this stage. Any offer of employment will be made subject to the
receipt of at least two satisfactory references.
Medical assessment
All new appointees are required to complete a medical form – which will be assessed by an HR
Advisor – and may be required to attend a medical examination at the discretion of the Council's
Medical Advisor. If you would prefer that your medical form be assessed initially by the Council’s
Medical Advisor please contact a member of the HR team.
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Confirmation of eligibility to work in the UK
You may be aware that under the provisions of Section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996,
employers must ensure that prospective employees are eligible to work in the UK. Consequently,
as a condition of employment, you are asked to provide documentary evidence that you are
eligible to work in the UK. This must be provided before you start work.
Politically Restricted Posts
Under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 a number of posts are politically restricted and
therefore will be disqualified from being a Councillor, Member of Parliament or Member of the
European Parliament.
The regulations restrict you from undertaking:
a).
b).
Canvassing on behalf of a political party or a person who is or seeks to be a candidate.
Speaking to the public at large or publishing any written or artistic work that could give the
impression that they are advocating support for a political party.
If this post is politically restricted this will be outlined in your contract of employment.
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure requirements
We take a robust approach to thoroughly checking anyone who has applied to work with children
and/or vulnerable adults.
Where stated, some jobs involve contact with children and/or vulnerable adults. Therefore, any
offer of employment is subject to receipt of a Disclosure Certificate from the Criminal Records
Bureau (CRB) that is considered satisfactory to the Council.
A Disclosure Certificate provides Woking Borough Council with criminal record information in order
to be able to make an informed recruitment decision.
We encourage all applicants who require CRB Disclosure Certificates, who are called for interview,
to provide details of their criminal record at an early stage in the process. If you are short-listed for
interview and have advised us of a criminal record, we request that any supporting information you
wish to provide is sent under separate, confidential cover to: Human Resources, Woking Borough
Council, Civic Offices, Gloucester Square, Woking, Surrey GU21 6YL. We guarantee that this
information is only seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process. At
interview, or in a separate discussion, a measured and open discussion will take place on the
subject of any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal
information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to the withdrawal of an offer of
employment.
The successful applicant will be required to obtain a satisfactory CRB Disclosure Certificate. As
part of this process, we will need to confirm your identity and may require evidence of certain
qualifications. The cost of the application will be met by the Council.
If you are made a conditional job offer, you will be required to complete a form which is
countersigned by Woking Borough Council. This is then sent to the Criminal Records Bureau. It
may take up to four weeks to receive the Disclosure Certificate and you will not be able to start
work until this has been received and, if necessary, discussed with you.
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You will receive the Disclosure Certificate at your home address – a copy will be sent to Woking
Borough Council at the same time.
Following an assessment of the information received on the Disclosure Certificate, Woking
Borough Council will contact you to either:
 offer you the post or
 to invite you in for further discussion or
 to remove the offer of employment, explaining our reasons for doing so.
The Council is committed to the “Criminal Records Bureau Code of Practice”, a copy of which is
available on request or on the CRB website – www.crb.gov.uk
Ex-offender information
Please note that a criminal record is not a bar to employment.
This depends on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of your
offences.
Your attention is drawn to the Council’s policies on the “Recruitment of Ex-offenders” and the
“Security Policy for Handling Disclosure Information”. These policies can be found on
www.woking.gov.uk/jobs/staffhandbook
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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Hints and tips to help with your application
Please find below some helpful hints and tips on how to apply, which will help to give you the best
chance of being short-listed. Please be aware that the interview panel will short-list applicants on
the basis of information contained in the application alone.
Read the documentation
A lot of information about the locality, the Council and the job is available on the Council’s website
(www.woking.gov.uk) or included in the application guide. You should ensure that you have done
some background reading and have a good understanding of the role.
Carefully read the advert, job description and the person specification
Before completing the form, think about the following questions:
 What is it about the advert that attracted you?
 Why are you interested in the job?
 Is it a good career move – sideways to broaden experience, or promotion?
 Are you ready for more responsibility – can you support this?
 Can you do the job?
Complete a rough draft of the application form first
Write out your responses in rough first to avoid mistakes. Better still, complete it electronically and
then you will have the chance to edit it. This also gives you the opportunity to ensure your form is
well organised and written in a concise and positive way. An interview panel has many applications
to get through, so use fewer words but maximise the impact.
Check all the dates are correct.
Please do not submit your CV as this will make it more difficult for the short-listing panel to assess
your abilities.
List your employment history
Make sure you explain the main features of each job that you have had, particularly your present
or latest job.
Put your jobs in date order with the most recent and current employment at the top of the page,
followed by past employments, so your oldest employment period is at the bottom.
Does your job title adequately describe your role? If not, try to give us as much information as
possible.
Please do not use abbreviations. Express salaries as annual or hourly figures rather than grades.
Any gaps in employment should be briefly explained i.e. career break, world travel.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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Look at your experience
What evidence have you got that you have the necessary skills, knowledge, qualification and
experience for the job you are applying for?
Evidence of qualifications will be requested. If, for whatever reason, you have the qualifications but
not the evidence please explain this clearly.
Tailor your application to the job you are applying for – don’t submit the same one for a series of
jobs.
Emphasise your current and past responsibilities. Explaining your present and previous jobs to
someone else may help you to identify ‘hidden’ skills that you take for granted.
Remember to include all relevant experience that will assist in the consideration of your application
– this includes experience gained at home or through voluntary, college, community and leisure
activities.
Additional information
This is your chance to show us how you meet our person specification and why we should select
you.
Look again at the person specification. Let us know what aspects you meet and how you meet
them – give examples. Set out this information clearly and concisely. Use an additional sheet if you
need more space.
Use the headings from the person specification and give examples underneath – this will enable
the short-listing panel to score your application quickly and easily and will show that you have read
through all of the documentation.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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The employment package
Within this section of the application guide you will find information about the employment package
including:
 pay and benefits
 hours of work, annual leave, pension, other benefits and working conditions
 relocation assistance.
This information should help you to build up a clear picture of what you can expect if you are
successful with your application.
Pay and Benefits
Concerns over pay
It is important that all staff have the opportunity to have any concerns related to pay heard by the
Business Manager responsible for deciding their pay. In the first instance, employees should speak
with the Business Manager who will discuss your concerns with you and review the position, with
advice from Human Resources as necessary.
Monitoring of the scheme – fairness and consistency
Management and UNISON have agreed that they have a shared responsibility for seeing that the
scheme is applied consistently and fairly.
To ensure that the pay scheme operates fairly and consistently throughout the Council, there are
systems agreed with UNISON for jointly monitoring the scheme. Information is provided to
UNISON on a regular basis. Regular reports are made to Corporate Management Group, and the
Executive Committee. You will receive information on how the scheme is being applied. Managers
will receive training and regular updating to ensure fair and consistent operation of the scheme.
The Council recognises the Equal Opportunities Commission’s code on equal pay. This provides
practical guidance on good practice in relation to equal pay for work of equal value and avoiding
pay discrimination.
Learning and development
As an Investor in People employer, the Council offers an extensive range of learning and
development opportunities covering a wide variety of areas. Employees are encouraged to work
with their manager to plan how these opportunities can be best used to meet their needs on
joining, and through their employment with, the Council. Regular one-to-one or personal
development meetings take place between the employee and manager and are an important way
of discussing learning and development required.
Hours of work
The Council operates flexible working arrangements where possible, such as flexi-time, part-time
working and job share, which are subject to meeting the needs of the service. Exact arrangements
will need to be agreed with the line manager.
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Annual leave entitlement
The leave year is based on the anniversary date of joining Woking Borough Council. For
employees new to local government, the initial annual paid leave entitlement is 23 working days,
plus public holidays. This increases to 28 working days after five years’ continuous service within
local government. After 10 years’ service with Woking Borough Council, you will receive 29
working days and after 20 years’ service with Woking Borough Council this will increase to 30
working days.
Part-time employees receive an appropriate proportion of annual paid leave according to the
contracted hours worked – the figures above are based on a 37 hour, five day working week.
In your last year, you will be entitled to annual leave proportionate to the completed months of
service during your leave year.
Pension
The Council as your employer and the recognised trade union recommend that you join, or remain
in, the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), which is provided by Surrey County Council.
The employee’s contribution rate is based on your hourly earnings (full time equivalent) for each
role as summarised below.
Full Time salary
£0 - £12,000
£12,001 - £14,000
£14,001 - £18,000
£18,001 - £30,000
£30,001 - £40,000
£40,001 - £75,000
£75,001 +
Contribution rate
5.5%
5.8%
5.9%
6.5%
6.8%
7.2%
7.5%
Woking Borough Council pays a flat rate of 15% of your salary into the fund. The LGPS will be
operated in accordance with the national and local arrangements in place at the time.
Please note: The LGPS is only applicable for those staff working over 3 months continuously.
Full details are available on request.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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Working conditions
The Council operates across the Borough of Woking through a number of facilities. These include:
 Civic Offices, Gloucester Square, Woking
 Leisure Centre and Pool in the Park, Kingfield
 H.G. Wells Conference and Events Centre, Woking Town Centre
 Moorcroft Centre for the Community, Westfield
 The Vyne Centre for the Community, Knaphill
 St Mary’s Centre for the Community, Byfleet
 Parkview Centre for the Community, Sheerwater
 Brockhill, Goldsworth Park
 Woking Repairs Service, Monument Way Depot, Woking
Other benefits
Examples of other benefits:
 Childcare vouchers
 Employee discounts on a range of goods and services (see Staff Panel, ewok)
 Annual health checks
 Bicycle and car loans
 Public transport season ticket loans.
(This is not a complete list.)
Additional information is available on the Council’s intranet (ewok).
In addition to this, we also provide an excellent working environment with air conditioned offices
and sports and social activities.
No smoking policy
A no smoking policy operates across the Council which means that smoking is not permitted in any
Council buildings, in the areas surrounding Council buildings or in any Council vehicles.
Relocation assistance
Relocation is available on a case by case basis. If you are successful in your application and need
to move to the Woking area to take up the appointment, the Council operates an excellent
relocation assistance package. The various elements which may be applicable in approved cases
are outlined below. The scheme, however, is intended to be applied as flexibly as possible and the
amounts shown are only indications of what might be expected for each element but within an
overall figure of c.£15,000 (e.g. professional fees £7,000, accommodation allowance £5,200,
disturbance allowance £2,000, and removals £800).
All payments for relocation assistance are subject to approval by the relevant Business Manager
or Corporate Management Group and a proportionate refund will be required if you leave the
Council’s employment within three years of the date of appointment.
Accommodation allowance
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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An accommodation allowance for a new employee, who already owns a property and will
temporarily need to maintain two homes, is available. This allowance is for an amount up to £200
per week for a period of up to 26 weeks from the date of appointment.
Reimbursement will also be made for a limited number of journeys home. For either standard
return rail fare or appropriate mileage allowance.
If you are not a homeowner, you may be entitled to an accommodation allowance of up to £100
per week for the first month of employment.
Professional fees
Up to £7,000 towards professional fees incurred in the sale and purchase of your home.
Removal expenses
Full reimbursement of the lower of two quotations.
Disturbance allowance
Up to the value of one month’s salary for approved expenses or losses (supported by documentary
evidence) incurred in moving house.
Mortgage subsidy scheme or shared ownership scheme
Details are available on request.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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About Woking Borough Council
This section of the application guide provides information about Woking Borough Council.
Specifically, it looks at:
 our culture
 our business
 our performance.
This information will help you to understand what the Council is all about and get a clearer picture
of the organisation that you are hoping to join.
Our culture
Our vision and values
Woking Borough Council’s vision and values were developed by its employees and elected
Councillors. The aim was to set down concisely what the Council is trying to do and the type of
behaviours it values, to help employees ‘live’ the vision and values. This was the result:
Our vision
“Towards Tomorrow Today”
Our values
We are one organisation
We are in the public service
We care about people and the Borough
We are committed to:
Serving the public
Our customers and community are the focus of what we do.
Being fair
We will treat everyone with fairness and dignity, respecting
people’s differences and needs and behave openly and
consistently.
Communicating well
We will be approachable and regularly inform people about what is
going on, we will listen to people’s views and take them into
account when making decisions.
Delivering quality
We will embrace the highest standards, strive for excellence, foster
partnership working and focus on sustainable outcomes.
Managing ourselves
We will be a good employer, use our resources cost effectively,
manage change positively, explore new ways of working, empower
people and value their achievements.
Thinking innovatively
We will be an outward looking and forward thinking authority, looking
for opportunities and taking the lead in developing new ideas.
Learning and developing
We will learn from the good practice of others and from our own
experience.
Celebrating success
We will celebrate our successes.
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People Strategy
Woking Borough Council’s People Strategy evolved from the vision and values and sets out
aspirations in the following areas:
 competing for talent
 being fit to manage
 learning and meeting our potential
 being clear about what we expect of one another.
In addition, the strategy clearly sets out what you can expect of the Council and what the Council
will expect of you once you begin work.
The People Strategy is available on the Council’s website (www.woking.gov.uk) under the ‘Work
for us’ heading.
Two Ticks Employer
Woking Borough Council is positive about disabled people with regards to employment, retention,
training and career development. To find out more about this award please go to
http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/HelpForDisabledPeople/DisabilitySymbol/index.ht
ml
Investors in People
The Council is an accredited Investor in People and has retained this accreditation since April
1995. This means that it prioritises the need to provide learning opportunities for employees and
recognises that it can only achieve its business objectives through a highly trained workforce which
is motivated and committed.
Equality and diversity
In a major consultation exercise conducted with local people in 2002, members of the public said
they wanted the Council to work to improve the quality of life for everybody in Woking. In response,
the Council developed “Being Equal – A Valuing Diversity Policy” which describes how the Council
intends to deliver on this important priority. A Race Equality scheme was also developed at the
same time to make racial equality an integral part of the way that we work. (Copies of both of these
documents are available on the Council’s website www.woking.gov.uk/jobs/staffhandbook)
The Council is now working hard to ensure that equality and diversity are at the heart of our
business and is keen to reflect the differences within the community in its workforce. We therefore
welcome applications from all members of the public, including people who are disabled and/or
from black and minority ethnic communities.
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is about integrating and balancing the often competing needs of
economic, social and environmental issues. It involves thinking about the future, caring for the
environment, improving quality of life and encouraging greater community participation.
Woking Borough Council – Work for us
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Working towards sustainable development is part of the Woking Borough Council corporate
commitment. The Council has developed a series of policies and procedures, including a
sustainability checklist which aims to move this agenda forward.
The Borough Council can affect sustainability in two main ways. Firstly, by the services it
provides and secondly by the practice of its staff whilst at work. In order to assist staff in
improving the Council's own sustainability performance, a range of initiatives has been introduced.
From an environmental perspective, the Council is widely recognised as being one of the most
energy-efficient local authorities in the country. It has introduced a comprehensive recycling
scheme for its own waste, and has detailed policies on purchasing, waste management and
climate change.
Internal communication
The Council fully appreciates the importance of informing its staff about changes and
developments that are taking place within the organisation. It is also keen to ensure clarity about
expected standards and performance.
As part of an internal communications strategy, the Council has several channels that it uses for
communicating with its staff. They are:
 OK! magazine – distributed to all staff five times a year
 an intranet system called ewok which is available on the Council network
 Team Talk – a team briefing system for cascading information from Management Team
downwards (and then back up again)
 noticeboards.
As an employee, you may also receive information with your salary slip, via email or directly from
your line manager. However, if you have not been told about something and you have some
questions, it is your responsibility to ask and find out.
Our business
Staff structure
From the 1 April 2008 the Council has undergone an organisational restructure. The current
business areas are:
 Asset Management
 Corporate Services
 Corporate Strategy
 Financial Services
 HG Wells
 Housing Services
 Independent Living Services
 Information Technology
 Leisure Services
 Neighbourhood Services
 Planning Services
 Revenue and Benefit Services
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Council structure
The Council comprises 36 elected Members, representing 17 Wards. The Council operates the
Leader and Executive constitutional model. Elections are held annually in May for one third of the
seats. (For results of the election, please see the Council’s website www.woking.gov.uk)
The full structure is as follows:
The Council
Approves financial strategy
Adopts new policy and strategy documents
Approves material departures from policy
Executive
Determines all proposals within existing policy which
require Member approval including planning policy
Planning Committee
Determines planning applications
Licensing and Regulation Committee
Licensing and registration functions
Appeals Committee
Internal personnel, intentional homeless and housing
related matters
Standards Committee
Standards of conduct and probate
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Monitors and scrutinises the Executive
Key priorities
To help provide a focus for Council business, three key priorities have been identified that all staff
and councillors are working towards. These three priorities are:
 Decent and affordable housing (in particular addressing housing need)
 The environment (improving the environment and reducing the incidence and fear of crime
in Woking’s neighbourhoods)
 Health and well-being (giving all residents access to leisure facilities and providing
support services for those people who require extra help for independent living).
In addition, the Council is particularly keen to promote the importance of local democracy and the
electoral process and is working to encourage more people to use their vote.
Our performance
Modern local government
The government has introduced a modernising agenda for local government incorporating a
number of initiatives to bring it closer to the people and seek continuous improvement. In recent
years, the Council has changed its political structure so that we now have a single party Leader
and Executive style of political leadership. We are also in the process of changing our
organisational structure (see above). Other elements of the modernising agenda include
Comprehensive Performance Assessment, Best Value and transformational government as well as
powers and duties to promote, for example, community safety and economic, social and
environmental well-being.
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Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA)
A key part of the improvement agenda is the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).
CPA brings together judgements about:
 the Council’s overall ability measured through a corporate self assessment;
 peer review, core service performance through thematic inspections on ‘providing decent
homes’, ‘balancing housing markets’ and ‘clean, green, safe and active public spaces’; and
 use of resources, including audit judgements, externally assessed plans and performance
indicators and an assessment of the Benefits Service.
The Audit Commission visited Woking in December 2003 to undertake their assessment of the
Council. The inspectors scored the Council as ‘good’ with prospects for improvement. In the
Commission’s view: “The Council is well placed to deliver further improvement – there is a
commitment and can do attitude to improvement that is evident at all levels in the organisation.”
The Council is implementing the CPA Improvement Plan with the objective of maintaining or
improving performance across the key areas and ensuring that any future external assessments
result in a ‘good’ or better score.
Best Value
The Council has a general duty to provide Best Value in the way it provides services or functions.
We achieve this by continually challenging why and how things are done, comparing performance
with other service providers, consulting with stakeholders and considering the most appropriate
method of procuring the service, including use of competition. The most important element of Best
Value is achieving continuous improvement.
Under the Best Value provisions of the Local Government Act 1999, every Council is required to
produce and publish an annual Performance Plan. Each March, the Council publishes its
“Summary Service and Performance Plan” which is sent to every household and business in the
Borough, with the Council Tax demand and “A to Z of Services”.
Our “Full Service and Performance Plan” aims to provide detailed information about the Council's
performance and our plans for continuous improvement in the quality and value of our services.
The plan provides a reference point, showing the linkages between our Community's aspirations
as set out in the Community Strategy, the Council's own vision and priorities and the activities that
are undertaken in individual services. It also sets out our achievements over the last year, how we
are performing against our targets and how our activities are resourced.
Transformation government
Building on our successful e-government programme, we are now embarking on a series of
initiatives to further improve provision and take-up of our electronic service delivery. These
initiatives include further integrated working with other public sector and voluntary organisations,
neighbourhood services and the investigation of areas for shared service delivery.
We are also continuing our programme of service improvement through process reviews focused
on the provision of high quality customer service and improved and fully integrated back office
systems.
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Customer focus
The streamlining of the Council’s structure is designed to ensure that the Council can move
forward in a positive, engaging and innovative manner, to deliver better outcomes for future
generations of Borough residents.
In so doing the Council is working forward providing a customer focused outcome based approach
to the services that affect the day to day lives of people in the community.
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About Woking Borough
This section of the application guide provides some information about the Borough itself.
Specifically, it covers:
 the location
 the population
 what it is like to live and work in the Borough.
A great location
Situated in the heart of Surrey, Woking is a modern town with excellent rail links to London and the
South West and close to both Heathrow and Gatwick airports. It boasts convenient shopping, top
quality entertainment, leisure facilities, relaxing countryside and interesting days out for the family.
With its unique combination of an attractive environment, excellent transport links by rail, air and
road and the locally high standards of education, workforce skills and business support, the
Borough enjoys a reputation as a quality location in which to live and work. This is further
enhanced by its reputation as the most energy efficient local authority in the UK.
A diverse population
In mid-2004 the population of Woking Borough was 89,600. Some other key statistics are listed
below:
 48.8% males
 51.2% female
 19.2% aged 14 or under
 66.1% aged between 15 and 64
 14.7% aged 65 or over.
Black and Minority Ethnic Population:
 91.3% White
 1.3% Mixed Background
 5.8% Asian or Asian British
 0.5% Black or Black British
 0.5% Chinese
 0.6% Other Ethnic Group.
The ward with the highest BME population in Woking is Maybury and Sheerwater at 34%, followed
by Goldsworth East at 11.6%.
Business in Woking
Woking Borough Council provides services for nearly 90,000 residents and over 3,000 businesses,
from local firms to leading international companies like Formula 1 racing giants McLaren; computer
services and software company Cap Gemini; Royal Blue Financial and The Ambassadors Theatre
Group. A myriad of diverse smaller businesses is also located within the Borough.
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Leisure in Woking
Woking has two outstanding covered shopping centres – the Peacocks and Wolsey Place – which
house many high street names plus a range of speciality shops selling more unusual and individual
items. The choice is complemented by a variety of other retail outlets, market stalls and restaurants
in surrounding streets.
Although primarily a residential area, the Borough is surprisingly rich in green open spaces, with
sixty percent of land being green-belt area. There are large areas of common and heathland within
easy reach of the town and village centres, which are accessible to the public and criss-crossed by
public footpaths and bridleways.
For the energetically inclined, there is a variety of sporting opportunities located in the Borough.
Woking Leisure Centre offers a range of sports and fitness facilities including a well equipped gym
and the Heatwaves sauna, steam and jacuzzi complex. Swimming is available at the adjacent Pool
in the Park, which also includes a leisure lagoon. Alternatively, residents can take advantage of a
range of outdoor facilities on their doorstep including golf, cricket, riding, water sports and watching
regular football matches at Woking FC.
There’s a choice of top quality entertainment at The Ambassadors, which houses the 1,300 seater
New Victoria theatre, a showcase venue for performances of West End shows, ballet and the
opera, and the smaller Rhoda McGaw Theatre, plus a state of the art six-screen cinema.
The Big Apple is a modern indoor complex offering ten-pin bowling, indoor games, children’s play
area, bar and much more. Woking is also home to a biennial international dance festival and also
hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including an annual beer festival and canal
festival.
Living in Woking
There is a choice of good quality housing available in the Borough, from one-bedroom apartments
to large family homes and from older style properties to brand new homes.
One of the most popular residential areas in Woking for good value accommodation is Goldsworth
Park. Built on what was formerly a 560-acre nursery, it has over 4,000 homes, ranging from
one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom luxury homes.
In addition to new residential developments, there are a number of older villages in the Borough
that retain much of their character and charm. Horsell, Pyrford, Byfleet and Old Woking are just a
few of Woking's village centres.
Find out more about Woking by visiting www.woking.gov.uk
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What to do next
Now that you have read through the application guide and thought carefully about the job that you
are applying for, you are ready to take the next step and complete the application form. Before you
send it in to us, you may find it helpful to refer to the following checklist.
Have you:
 read through the job description and person specification and feel confident that you can do
the job?

done some background reading to understand more about the position?

listed your current and previous jobs in date order with the most recent first?

explained any gaps in your career history?

given examples of how you meet the person specification in the additional information
section?

used the application form to explain your strengths?

checked your application for spelling and grammar mistakes?

checked both the closing date and the interview date?
When you have done all that you need to, please send us your application form, before the
specified closing date, and then leave the rest to us.
Thank you for your interest in Woking Borough Council and working for us. We look
forward to receiving your application.
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