Licensing Compliance Officer
About the job
Salary: £36,363 - £39,152 a year plus £963 essential car user allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent
Luton Council is seeking a committed and knowledgeable Licensing Compliance Officer to join our Regulatory Services team. This is a challenging and rewarding role, ensuring licensed premises, vehicles, and operators across the Borough comply with licensing legislation and conditions, helping to protect public safety and maintain high standards.
About the Role
As a Licensing Compliance Officer, you will undertake compliance inspections, investigations, and enforcement activity across a wide range of licensed activities. You will work within a legislative framework, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses and licence holders, preparing case files, and presenting cases at formal legal hearings where required.
You will engage directly with members of the public, commercial organisations, partner agencies, and internal teams, representing the Council professionally and assertively while maintaining fairness and impartiality.
Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
About you
You will have:
- Knowledge of local authority functions and experience working within a licensing or regulatory environment
- Demonstrable experience dealing with the public and commercial organisations
- Experience of working in a legislative environment, including presenting cases at formal legal hearings
- Sound, up-to-date knowledge of licensing legislation and its practical application to ensure effective compliance
- Demonstrable knowledge of the Licensing Act 2003 and Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing
You will also demonstrate:
- Strong investigative, interviewing, and negotiation skills, with knowledge of relevant legal frameworks including CPIA 1996, RIPA 2000, and PACE Codes E and F
- Awareness of licensing enforcement procedures and some knowledge of court and enforcement processes
- The ability to communicate assertively, tactfully, and professionally with a wide range of people, both in person and by telephone
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage conflicting and time-critical workloads
Technical & Administrative Skills
You will be able to:
- Produce factual, highly accurate, and complex documentation, including reports, work procedures, letters, and licence applications
- Maintain accurate manual and computer-based records
- Use a range of IT systems and databases, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and internet-based systems
- Undertake investigative and project work within agreed deadlines and performance targets
Professional Judgement & Equality
You will:
- Work independently with limited supervision, recognising when to seek guidance and support
- Make impartial, ethical, and proportionate decisions, assessing and mitigating risk effectively
- Demonstrate an understanding of the effects of discrimination on services and service users
- Apply equality and fairness principles consistently in enforcement and service delivery
Additional Requirements
- Advanced Professional Certificate in Investigating Practice or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Training relevant to licensing inspections and a commitment to ongoing professional development
- Ability to undertake inspections and site visits across the Borough
- Access to a vehicle for work purposes with relevant business insurance
- A current and valid driving licence and the ability to travel around the Borough as required
Why Join Luton Council?
Luton Council is committed to delivering fair, proportionate, and effective regulatory services that support our diverse communities and local businesses. We offer a supportive working environment, opportunities for development, and the chance to make a real difference to public safety and compliance across the Borough.
About us
Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision – that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty – is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents.
The people of Luton depend heavily on this council – and that means our workforce! Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision?
We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our borough
Application Process
On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a very high number of applications being received.
Benefits
We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include:
- From 25 to 32 days’ annual leave: linked to length of service and grade
- Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave
- Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area
- Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant
- Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
- Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home
- Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns
- Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways
- Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons
- Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel
How to apply
We understand that job applications take time and effort, but a high-quality application shows that you are professional with a good attention to detail. The recruiting manager may receive a number of applications for each job advertised so you want yours to stand out!
Our ‘How to apply' page has more tips to help with your application: How to apply