Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Jobs | 1 Live Vacancy

About the council

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is the district council for the borough of Tunbridge Wells in West Kent, which includes Royal Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Paddock Wood, Cranbrook, Hawkhurst and surrounding villages on the Kent and Sussex border. Its offices are at the Town Hall in Royal Tunbridge Wells and the council's customer-facing services are based at The Amelia Scott on Mount Pleasant Road (TN1 1AW). Some specialist services, such as environmental health, are delivered in partnership with neighbouring Kent councils, so occasionally a post advertised by Tunbridge Wells is based at another council's offices.

Housing Options and homelessness

The council does not own housing stock; its housing role is strategic and preventative. The Housing Options team helps anyone in the borough who is homeless or at risk of homelessness. People who contact the service get a triage assessment and a Housing Options appointment within five working days, leading to a Personalised Housing Plan where a duty is owed. Officers negotiate with landlords to stop evictions, run a Landlord Incentive Scheme to open up private rented homes, administer housing loans and temporary accommodation rent payments, and arrange emergency accommodation where needed. The council has published a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2026 to 2031 and commissions Porchlight to provide rough-sleeper outreach and drop-in services in the town, alongside local partners such as the Mosaic resource centre, St Augustine's Church and the Salvation Army. Residents can report someone sleeping rough online, and public bodies can use the duty-to-refer route.

Other housing work

The wider housing service manages the housing register for affordable rented and low-cost ownership homes, enforces standards in private rented housing, gives energy advice, supports armed forces veterans and older people with housing, and works with partners on domestic abuse. Job adverts are filed under categories including Homelessness, Housing, Advice, Case Worker and Care and Support.

Working for the council

The council offers a local government pay structure with a 2.5 per cent progression increase after year one and again at the top of the band, and cost-of-living rises normally applied each April. Staff receive 26 days' annual leave rising to 29 after five years' local government service, plus three extra days in December and bank holidays. Everyone can join the Local Government Pension Scheme, to which the council contributes 16.8 per cent. Hybrid working is the norm for many roles, typically with a minimum of two days in the office, and there is free staff parking. Other benefits include the HAPI discounts and wellbeing platform with a virtual GP, an employee assistance programme provided by Health Assured with face-to-face counselling, flu and eye-care vouchers, and support for professional qualifications. The council promotes itself under the banner "work that matters with people who care" and is a Disability Confident employer.

Typical roles advertised

• Housing Options Officers, homelessness prevention and temporary accommodation officers
• Rough sleeping and housing advice case workers
• Private sector housing and environmental health officers
• Planning, community, customer service and corporate roles

Vacancies are advertised on the council's Tribepad site (tunbridgewellsjobs.tribepad-gro.com). The Housing Options team can be contacted on 01892 526121, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm; general enquiries go to info@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.