Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, organisational policy, and professional codes of conduct to uphold standards of best practice reflecting these for the team
Deliver the aims of the councils equality, diversity and inclusion policies; health, safety and wellbeing of self and others; and Organisational values in everything you do, ensuring team members are also aware of their responsibilities and maintaining their understanding that Equality and Diversity practice covers both interaction with staff, service users and communities. This includes challenging discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity for all.
Determination and interpretation of legislation
To work as part of the Councils wider planning service, to process applications for a wide range of development schemes including major planning applications and those of a more complex nature, undertaking negotiations with developers and their agents, whilst balancing material considerations, site constraints, planning policy and third party comments.
Drafting reports to Planning Committee and for delegated decisions taking account of relevant legislation, case law, appeal decisions, policies, and the procedures of the Council.
Professional support and Guidance
To provide professional support and guidance to planning officers engaged in the processing of applications for planning permission, listed building consent, notifications, conservation area consent, advertisement consent and monitoring and compliance activities. This includes the carrying out of site inspections, drafting reports and recommendations, and negotiating with applicants/agents in accordance with procedures, good practice, and performance targets.
Committee
To attend Planning Committee meetings and present oral reports to the Committee on development management matters and take all necessary following action.
Representing the Council at appeal
To prepare appeal statements or proofs of evidence, and to act as expert witness for the Local Planning Authority, in connection with planning and enforcement appeals, public inquiries, informal hearings and court hearings as required. In addition, where necessary to prepare for and participate in court proceedings to secure compliance with planning legislation and/or prosecution.
Determining applications
To process planning applications, as appropriate, including meeting applicants and developers, undertaking site visits, and to examine, report and make recommendations on such planning applications, certificates of lawfulness, proposals, and related matters to Planning Committee or through delegated processes as appropriate.
Assessing the planning merits and providing reports to Planning Committee and delegated decisions as directed by the Service Manager. Assessing the planning merits of potential enforcement and compliance cases and to undertake negotiation with all interested parties on compliance matters to establish actions which result in solutions or resolution with a clear emphasis on continuous improvement, performance delivery and providing the highest standards of customer service.
Customer Care
To provide general advice to the public, members and developers in terms of requirement for planning permission, planning and enforcement processes, negotiating with all interested parties concerning planning and enforcement caseloads and advising of required actions to support solutions or resolution.
At all times maintaining high levels of customer service and meeting performance standards, having regard to the development plan, other planning policies and the Council?s corporate priorities and objectives.
Monitoring and Compliance
To carry out Monitoring and Compliance activities including investigating and resolving complaints regarding breaches of planning control, planning conditions and legal agreements, undertaking site visits, site surveys and inspections as directed, including for the purpose of monitoring planning consents, conditions, and obligations.
Continued Professional Development
To undertake training and development as required and be committed to maintaining and developing expertise and knowledge in line with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) standards.
Other
To discharge other reasonable duties appropriate to the appointment and grading of the post.
Dimensions of role
(Relevant facts and figures that relate to the key results areas and on which the role has an impact or influence e.g., budgets or staffing include a comment on planning horizon)
The Senior Planning Officers deal with major and more complex minor and other applications and all associated consenting requirements such as discharge of conditions and non-material amendments.
This can range from change of use, advert consents, prior approvals, major economic, inward investment and major housing development. Applications can include EIA development and Habitats Regulation Assessments. They provide pre application advice on in principle and detailed schemes and instruct and negotiate on legal agreements to ensure development proposals meet policy requirements and deliver required mitigation in accordance with legislation.
At this level, officers present at committee and defend appeal decisions through written representations, hearings and public inquiries.
The Senior Officers offer support to the Planning Officers and Technicians in terms of judgement, legislation interpretation and knowledge of case law, appeal decisions and policies. They are responsible for their own caseloads of applications which are subject to 8 and 13 week statutory determination periods as recorded through Government Performance tables. These officers have working caseloads ranging from 35-50 reflecting the more complex nature of the applications.
Planning Horizon:
Within the next 5 years Somerset will be working jointly to provide one local adopted plan for the whole area. Planning Officers feed into policy development by testing and translating policies in terms of ease of delivery. The planning areas are continuing to operate in the 4 area teams in the short term.
Qualification/ Knowledge / skills / experience
(describe what would be needed by anyone to deliver the accountabilities to a competent or fully acceptable level, please also state Essential/Desirable against each one)
Qualifications:
* Degree in Town Planning or related subject and equivalent experience. The postholder will require membership of (or be eligible to join) the RTPI (Essential)
Knowledge:
* Ability to provide detailed advice across a range of planning issues in a development management/planning environment, including process and procedural matters (Essential)
* Good knowledge of planning, enforcement, planning policy, case law and relevant legislation (Essential)
* Interpretation of legislation - interpretation of relevant planning legislation and case law in respect of issues arising from pre-application enquiries, applications, appeals and planning enforcement (Essential)
Skills:
* Good negotiation skills and the ability to contribute positively to the resolution of issues (Essential)
* Working under pressure and to strict deadlines, prioritising, organising, and planning own and others fluctuating workloads (Essential)
* Ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders clearly and proactively (Essential)
* Adaptation and responding to change (Essential)
* Ability to use influence and persuasion to achieve objectives (Essential)
* Ability to use thoughtful judgement to manage complex service delivery (Essential)
* Flexible approach to the working day (Essential)
* Shares knowledge and expertise with others (Essential)
Experience:
* Should have experience of working at a Senior level in Development Management and demonstrate the ability to manage a caseload and competing workloads to maintain performance targets (Essential)
* Should have experience of defending the Council at appeal (Hearing/Inquiry) (Desirable)
* Should have experience of working within a team to support team development and CPD (Essential)
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