Cherwell District Council is located in the beautiful village of Bodicote, on the outskirts of the historic market town of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We're excited to announce that we'll soon be moving to Castle Quay, located in the heart of Banbury. Our council is entering an exciting new phase, and we are seeking to strengthen our legal team. You will be an essential part of Team Cherwell, and we guarantee that you will be offered exciting and varied work with fantastic career progression opportunities for our lawyers and support staff.

At Cherwell District Council, our work is guided by values that reflect the heart of Cherwell, its people, and the environment we cherish. These values guide our decisions, help us serve our community better, and act as our compass in what truly matters. 

On 30 October 2023, we gathered to launch our values, which are:

• Empowerment - we aim to provide our teams with the essentials for success and support our communities to flourish.
• Community - we embrace unity, shared responsibility, and our crucial role in the community, fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and active engagement.
• Evolution - we believe in progression, continuous learning, and the power of innovation to bring impactful change, acknowledging that not all changes are easy or have immediate perceived benefits.
• Collaboration - we work in partnership, internally and externally, to achieve shared outcomes and foster a sense of belonging.
• Authenticity - we are transparent, realistic, and accountable. Our actions consistently mirror our words.
• Environment - we commit to protecting, caring for, and promoting sustainable interactions with our environment.

Our clients and partners highly regard our friendly and dedicated team. Our purpose is to provide the Council and its partners with the highest-quality legal advice and representation to achieve the Council's aims and priorities. We invest in our staff through training and development and support them and their needs.

The Role:

This diverse and varied role offers the platform to prepare and oversee a new local plan. You will also be involved with significant site delivery and innovative developments, such as the country’s largest self-build site – Graven Hill, and the Eco Centre in Northwest Bicester. There is also the opportunity to assist our dedicated planning department with applications for three urban areas – Bicester, Banbury, and Kidlington- and the surrounding rural areas, factoring in complex S106 agreements and planning appeals.

The Person:

We are looking for a practising solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive to practice in Planning Law.  

The Benefits:

The Council is committed to providing equal opportunities for all job applicants. As an employer, we are flexible with working patterns and offer a hybrid work environment that combines office work in Bodicote House with remote work. We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer excellent family-friendly policies and a generous annual leave entitlement. Additionally, we provide incremental pay awards, membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme, and access to the cycle-to-work scheme. We provide our employees £25 annual eye test vouchers and a free annual flu vaccination. We are invested in the growth and development of our staff, and therefore, will soon be offering apprenticeships and training contracts.

For more information or a confidential discussion please contact our recruitment partners at Penna – Brian Gallagher at Brian.Gallagher@penna.com or call 07716 098175.