Wealden District Council Jobs | 1 Live Vacancy

About Wealden District Council

Wealden District Council is the local authority for the Wealden district of East Sussex, in the South East of England. Its offices are at Vicarage Lane in Hailsham, and the council also has a presence in Uckfield. As a district council it is responsible for housing, homelessness, planning, environmental health and similar local services across a largely rural area of market towns and villages.

Housing and homelessness services

The council's Housing Options team gives housing advice to all residents, works to prevent homelessness across the district, and maintains the housing register and online housing portal. Anyone who is homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days can apply online and is then interviewed, assessed and given a Personal Housing Plan setting out the steps both they and the council will take. Where an interim duty is owed, households are usually placed in bed-and-breakfast or short-term self-contained temporary accommodation while enquiries are made, under a shared East Sussex temporary accommodation policy. A Severe Weather Emergency Provision operates between November and March, offering emergency beds to rough sleepers, and there is an out-of-hours homelessness line for anyone with nowhere to stay that night. The council also holds a Duty to Refer process for public bodies and a duty-to-cooperate procedure.

Council housing

Wealden is a stock-holding authority with its own council homes, so it employs housing management staff as well as housing options staff. Housing Officers handle void inspections, tenancy sign-ups, tenancy visits, anti-social behaviour, mutual exchanges and successions, and work with partner agencies to help tenants sustain their tenancies. The council also runs retirement living schemes for older tenants, managed from Uckfield.

Who the services support

Beyond general homelessness prevention, the Housing Options team offers targeted advice for rough sleepers, Gypsies and Travellers, people leaving care, prison, youth detention or hospital, people with mental health needs, survivors of domestic abuse and former members of the armed forces.

Working at Wealden

Adverts describe a friendly and supportive team culture, a competitive salary with incremental progression, a pension scheme, continuing professional development and hybrid working, with most roles based in Hailsham. The council is a Disability Confident Employer that guarantees interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, and it states a commitment to safeguarding, inclusion and equal opportunity. It publishes a policy on the ethical use of AI in applications.

Typical roles

• Housing Options and Homeless Prevention & Accommodation team roles (support officers, options officers)
• Housing Officers and Retirement Living Managers in the council's own housing stock
• Business support and administrative posts

Contact: 01323 443322 | info@wealden.gov.uk | Council Offices, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham BN27 2AX | wealden.gov.uk