Planning Enforcement Officer

What will you be doing? 

• Providing regular updates to complainants and negotiating with alleged offenders to determine the facts of the case and resolve the matters arising.
• Unaccompanied site visits or meetings. Efficient and courteous engagement with a range of customers, including Council Members and Parish Councils.
• Service of formal notices
• Preparation of witness statements and attendance in prosecution proceedings
• Work to support the Compliance Monitoring Service by attending sites to monitor compliance with planning permissions.
• Practical and academic training as appropriate.
• Determination of retrospective Planning Applications 
• It will be your responsibility to manage 60 – 80 case assignments at all levels of complexity, working towards resolutions effectively and efficiently. Predominantly you will be office based however, field visits may be required for further investigation of alleged breaches of planning control.
• You will respond to internal and external enquiries and to deliver a high quality of service
• You will be expected to display decisive decision-making in complex or unprecedented situations.

What we need from you

• You will be professionally qualified in Planning and obtain a relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• You should be a confident communicator; both in conversation and in writing and have the ability to use diplomacy and decisiveness during difficult situations. 
• You will need to have a sound understanding and knowledge of planning legislation.
• It is vital that you are organised with assigned workload and are able to achieve set deadlines.
• The nature of the duties of this post will require you to travel therefore, you must have a current valid driving license.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance.

We invest in the careers of our people and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work. 

We have invested in the technology and support to enable staff to work seamlessly from home so we can ensure we are keeping staff safe during Covid-19.  For those staff who may need to work in the office we have also ensured that our offices and hubs are Covid secure; and have measures in place such as one way systems, socially distanced work stations and hand sanitizer stations throughout our premises.  

We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.  

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of 
• We're planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses. 
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained. 

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference. 

We’re making a difference, be part of it! 

For further information, please contact Dawn Russell, Principal Planning Enforcement Officer (dawn.russell@southglos.gov.uk or 01454 863437)