Luton Borough Council
Senior Solicitor - Property & Planning
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Senior Solicitor - Property & Planning
About The Job
Salary: £53,460 - £56,681 a year plus £3,203 car benefit allowance
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic legal team providing a comprehensive legal service to the Council, its Executive, Committees and Sub-Committees, as well as senior officers, elected Members and external clients. As a Senior Solicitor specialising in Property and Planning, you will play a key role in protecting the Council’s interests while delivering pragmatic solutions-focused legal advice that aligns with organisational priorities and objectives. You will handle a varied and often complex caseload, including major property transactions, planning enforcement matters and the drafting and negotiation of Section 106 agreements, ensuring that all work is delivered efficiently, lawfully and in line with the Council’s policies and budgetary requirements.
Working with a high degree of autonomy, you will draft and settle a wide range of legal documents, provide clear and authoritative advice on complex and high-profile matters, and attend meetings of the Executive, Committees and other forums to offer legal and procedural guidance. You will be expected to exercise sound judgement in identifying when specialist external advice is required, instruct Counsel where appropriate, and oversee delivery to ensure value for money. The role also involves contributing to corporate and cross-departmental projects, supporting policy development, and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of legal and regulatory developments affecting property and planning law to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery.
Please note this role does not attract sponsorship.
About You
You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales with a current practising certificate and at least six years’ post-qualification experience, ideally within a local government/public sector context. You will bring significant experience of managing a broad range of complex commercial property matters with minimal supervision, alongside demonstrable expertise in planning enforcement and negotiating Section 106 agreements. Your legal knowledge will be underpinned by a strong understanding of English, property, land and planning law, and you will be confident applying this knowledge in a local government or similarly complex environment.
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You will possess excellent analytical and communication skills, with the ability to assess legal and commercial risk and present advice in a clear, practical and persuasive manner tailored to client needs. A confident decision-maker, you will be able to exercise sound judgement in high-pressure situations and manage a demanding caseload effectively, with minimal supervision. You will also be a collaborative team player, capable of supporting, mentoring and supervising junior colleagues while contributing positively to team objectives. Strong organisational and ICT skills are essential, as is the ability to represent the Council professionally in a range of formal settings. An understanding of equality legislation and its application in public sector work is expected. Experience in highway agreements, compulsory purchase and knowledge of local government and European law would be advantageous.
Please ensure your supporting statement demonstrates your experience and knowledge in order for your application to be considered.
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?
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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 19.2 per cent (at April 2026) 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
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