Assistant Cook

Job Title: Assistant Cook
Location of work: Banstead Community Centre
Salary: £25,581 - £26,685 (Pro-rata £7,105.83 - £7,412.50)
Basis: Permanent, Part time 
Hours: 10 hours per week

About the Role
Are you someone who likes to support the community and would like to work with a team of energetic, dedicated staff and volunteers, who deliver a range of other activities, and services within our local communities? 

The Assistant Cook will be working in the Community Centre’s busy café in this varied role. You will be providing meals, snacks and beverages to members and users of the centre, delivering the service in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The role involves maintaining a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness in the café area and kitchen. 

The role will include hours between 9am to 2pm two days a week, preferably Mondays and Thursdays. Flexibility on event days as required. There may be weekend and evening shifts in the future. These would be agreed prior to confirming.

About the Person
We are looking for the successful candidate to be:
•    A supportive and reliable team member
•    Hard working and proactive in identifying and undertaking tasks in quiet periods
•    Polite with a friendly and professional manner with a wide range of people

Previous experience of working in a commercial kitchen or café is preferred but not essential 

Ideally you will already hold, or be willing to complete training for:
•    Food Hygiene qualification to level 2 
•    Manual handling qualification 
•    First Aid qualification 

Staff Benefits
In exchange for your expertise, experience and enthusiasm, we will offer support in continuing your personal and career development, in addition to providing a wide range of employment linked benefits. 

We provide you with competitive annual leave, and contribute 22.10% towards the LGPS pension scheme. You will also have access to a range of discounts including local and high street stores, and salary sacrifice schemes including a cycle lease scheme, and ‘Better’ leisure centre membership.

Additional Information
For an informal discussion about the role, please call Lisa Barwick, Manager on 01737 361712

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, supporting the guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ex-armed forces candidates, who meet the essential criteria for the role.

Closing date: Wednesday 2nd September 2026
Interview date: Tuesday 8th August and Friday 11th September 2026

We understand that some applicants may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with preparing their applications. All submitted information—whether supported by AI or not—must accurately reflect the applicant’s own skills, experience, and qualifications.
Recruitment decisions will be based on how well applicants demonstrate these attributes during the interview and selection process.

Values and Behaviours
Our great working environment and the values and behaviours of every individual and team in the Council, help to evolve the culture of our organisation to become more commercial, innovative and embracing of change. Successful applicants to our career opportunities will be able to demonstrate they share the values and behaviours we seek in our organisation.

Local Government Reorganisation 
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is part of the government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) scheduled to take place in April 2027. This means the current two-tier system, where services are split between Surrey County Council and district and borough councils like Reigate, will be replaced with two unitary councils made up of East and West Surrey, which will handle all local services. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council will form part of the new East Surrey unitary authority.

Although this may lead to some uncertainty for anyone considering a role with us, this process will take some time and during that time we still need to provide services. When local government is reorganised, most staff will transfer to the new council(s) which may offer additional opportunities for career development and variety as part of a larger organisation.

Further information on LGR can be found here: Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and Devolution | Reigate and Banstead

See 'Who we are' as a council, to find out more about us.