Assistant Planning Enforcement Officer Ref: 33-24

Salary: Grade 9, £24,308 - £30,120 per annum (subject to Job Evaluation)
Hours: Full time 37 hours per week
Place of Work: Dereham
Basis: Permanent

Would you like a job where what you do:

• Makes a difference to the communities that live within Breckland
• Allows you to protect the natural and built environment.
• Creates opportunities for the right individual to develop their career within a supportive environment

We are seeking an Assistant Planning Enforcement Officer to work as part of a team of officers to investigate possible breaches of planning control and work with other teams within the Council to remedy these breaches.

We regulate the use of land in the public interest. Providing a framework for the delivery of sustainable homes and jobs for Breckland residents in the long term.

You will:

• Carry out Initial assessment of complaints once registered in liaison with Enforcement Manager. Assist and deputise for Senior
• Enforcement Officer when required.
• Carry out desk top investigation of complaints - using all available systems, internet and other agencies.
• Carry out site inspections - including roadside inspections - pre-arranged visits- accompany other Enforcement Officers where appropriate - photos- measurement etc...
• Deputise for Technical Support Officer when absent.
• Communicate via letter/email providing updates to complainants, offenders, Members, Management.
• Carry out telephone calls to complainants and offenders.
• Liaise with other agencies including- ARP, Housing, Environmental Protection, Norfolk County Council
• Close cases as directed by Enforcement Manager

About you:

The right candidate will have the following characteristics.

Collaborative:

• I look for ways to work in partnership and listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge.
• I recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out to them for their contribution and input

Ambitious:

• I always ask myself 'How could we do this better?', taking ownership of change and helping others to understand, adapt, implement, and embed it.
• I have an open mindset, take risks and explore new ways of doing things.
• I am a proud ambassador, taking pride and responsibility for the work we do and encouraging others to do the same.

Results Driven:

• I make sure I am clear on what I need to achieve, keeping a focus on results and solutions.
• I am driven, showing courage and resilience even when things don't go to plan.

Empowering:

• I ask for help and support when needed, and take responsibility if things don't go well, learning from it for my own and for the organisation's development
• Supportive:
• I treat others as I would want to be treated myself, ensuring that I am welcoming, friendly and approachable.
• I give time to colleagues who need help or support

OK, I'm interested...but is it really the job for me?

As our Assistant Planning Enforcement Officer, you will have:

• Experience in Planning working within a busy team environment preferably within a Local Authority
• An understanding of investigative procedures within a legislative framework
• Knowledge of planning enforcement appeal procedures
• Good interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact and ability to prioritise work
• Good communication skills including the ability to prepare and present verbal and written reports

We will encourage you to use your own initiative within a supportive framework to solve challenges and find solutions.

You will need to enjoy working with internal and external stakeholders and have experience of dealing with customers through various communication media.

Closing date: 9am, 26 July 2024

What's it like to work for us?

We are passionate about our people and pride ourselves on being a great place to work, we genuinely care and know that a happy workforce is a productive and motivated one! If you're still not sure, here are some stats from our 2023 staff survey to convince you..

• 94% of our staff said they felt valued
• 99% of staff recommend Breckland as a great place to work
• 90% said they have had opportunities to learn and grow in the last 12 months
• 97% think Breckland provide positive action on health and wellbeing
• 98%  said they felt supported by their Manager

If you STILL need convincing, here's what some of our staff say...

• "Breckland is a fantastic employer, lots of opportunities and support"
• "Having only just started, it is a great place to work, everyone says hello, is smiley and chatty. I like the groups that are on, like carers shed and neurodiversity"
• "We are encouraged to take regular breaks and there are mental health first aiders and a wide range of good promotional aspects of healthy living and wellbeing."
• "In times of need the council offers excellent support."
• "BDC really does seem to care about the wellbeing and happiness of their staff."

At Breckland Council we have embraced the Government's agenda to modernise local government. Our approach is to lead change rather than follow it, and to add the best value we can to our communities. We achieve this by developing our employees to their full potential, providing them with the relevant knowledge, equipment, and authority to carry out their duties.

We are a dynamic and innovative organisation that is always testing and learning as we seek to continually improve. We have never stood still in response to the emergence of new opportunities, changing customer demands, and ongoing funding challenges. We have exciting plans for how to deliver the best possible services to our residents and businesses.

Breckland as a district is a special place nestled in the heart of rural Norfolk, spanning over 500 square miles of beautiful countryside and forest, with five Market Towns and over 140,000 residents. We care, we listen, and we support people and businesses within our district. We have big ideas and we are innovative in our approach, coming up with ways to meet the needs of the local communities that we serve. Through our actions, we want to make things better.

But we know that we can't do it alone. We are a collaborative organisation and we work together with others to make a greater impact. We are also an organisation where our employees can grow and develop and are empowered to achieve and succeed. We are proud of our area, and by driving investment and enabling opportunities, we can maximise its full potential. We want to inspire aspiration to live, work, visit, or do business here: we want our district to be one of choice.

We will support and enable growth and change in our thriving, welcoming places where people and businesses choose to be, knowing their ambitions can be not just fulfilled but exceeded. By listening to people, by understanding what they need and by working together, we can shape what we have to offer. By doing so, we can benefit those who are already here and those who choose to come to live, work, visit, or do business.

We offer excellent conditions of service, including:

• A local government pension scheme (14 per cent employer contribution).
• Attractive holiday package (25 days increasing after three years' continuous Local Authority service by one day per year up to the maximum of 28 days, plus bank holidays)
• Free car parking.
• Remote-enabled working arrangements.
• A newly refurbished office. See what it is like working here by watching this short film:
   

Our commitment to talent development, on the job learning and upskilling, training and professional memberships, will keep your knowledge and skills up to date.

Job summary

Description of duties

• Carry out Initial assessment of complaints once registered in liaison with Enforcement Manager.
• Assist and deputise for Senior Enforcement Officer when required.
• Carry out desk top investigation of complaints - using all available systems, internet and other agencies.
• Carry out site inspections - including roadside inspections - pre-arranged visits- accompany other Enforcement Officers where appropriate taking  photographs and measurements as part of general evidence gathering
• Deputise for Technical Support Officer when absent.
• Communicate via letter/email providing updates to complainants, offenders, Members, Management.
• Carry out telephone calls to complainants and offenders.
• Liaise with other agencies including- ARP, Housing, Environmental Protection, Norfolk County Council
• Close cases as directed by Enforcement Manager.
• Collaborate with the Appeals Officer in the preparation of appeals in relation to planning and enforcement matters.
• Such other duties as may, from time to time, be allocated appropriate to the grade and contributing to the purpose and objectives of the post

Primary Line/Performance Management Objectives of the Role

• Work as part of a small team of Officers investigating complaints around breach of planning controls.

This job description is not exhaustive.

The job description outlines the current position and will be subject to review in the light of development within the service. This will be in consultation with the post holder, as detailed in your Contract of Employment.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Experience in Planning working within a busy team environment preferably within a Local Authority
• An understanding of investigative procedures within a legislative framework
• Knowledge of planning enforcement appeal procedures
• Under supervision, ability to draft, serve and record legal notices
• Some Development Control experience, with familiarity with planning legislation, procedures, local and national guidance
• Ability to prioritise, plan work and monitor progress
• Good interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact and ability to prioritise work
• Good communication skills including the ability to prepare and present verbal and written reports
• Ability to persuade, influence and negotiate and liaise and consult with others at all levels
• Ability to follow established procedures, reading and interpreting maps and plans
• Capable of adopting a methodical and accurate approach to ensure a high level of consistency in performance targets
• Competency at checking own work to confirm accuracy
• Hold a current driving licence and access to your own vehicle

Desirable

• The ability to use your own initiative to solve challenges working as part of a team and under direction
• Experience of dealing with customers by phone, e-mail and face to face
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Outlook, Excel etc)

Qualifications

Essential

• Education to GCSE A-C in English and Maths or equivalent competence

Essential Behaviours

Collaborative

• I look for ways to work in partnership and listen supportively to the ideas of others, building on their ideas, while sharing my views and knowledge.
• I recognise the skills, talent and experience of others and reach out to them for their contribution and input

Ambitious

• I always ask myself 'How could we do this better?', taking ownership of change and helping others to understand, adapt, implement, and embed it.
• I have an open mindset, take risks and explore new ways of doing things.
• I am a proud ambassador, taking pride and responsibility for the work we do and encouraging others to do the same.

Results-driven

• I make sure I am clear on what I need to achieve, keeping a focus on results and solutions.
• I am driven, showing courage and resilience even when things don't go to plan.

Empowering

• I ask for help and support when needed, and take responsibility if things don't go well, learning from it for my own and for the organisation's development

Supportive

• I treat others as I would want to be treated myself, ensuring that I am welcoming, friendly and approachable.
• I give time to colleagues who need help or support

Health & Safety (exposure to risk)

The postholder is part of a small team and therefore the post holder needs to demonstrate ability to deal with frequent interruptions and demands on a daily basis

Breckland Council's Terms and Conditions are in accordance with the National Joint Council for Local Government Services Administrative, Professional, Technical & Clerical Services (APT&C). These are collective agreements negotiated between the council and APT&C. The exception are those conditions affecting salary, which are subject to a locally negotiated salary structure.

Other Terms and Conditions may be implemented following collective agreements negotiated with the Trade Union recognised by Breckland Council for collective local bargaining purposes. The Principal conditions are set out below:

If you would like an informal chat regarding this role please contact Chris Curtis - Planning Enforcement Manager by emailing chris.curtis@breckland.gov.uk

Closing date - 9am, 26 July 2024
 

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Equal Opportunities

We are committed to being an Equal Opportunities employer, recognising the benefits of sustaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community we serve. We welcome applications from anyone who feels they meet the requirements of our vacancies. These are listed as essential requirements on the person specification.