Job profile for Senior Planning Enforcement Officer

Job Details

Job title: Senior Planning Enforcement Officer

Salary/Grade: Grade 4-5 (Bar point at Scale Point 31. Progression to Scale Point 32 subject to becoming an Associate Membership with the RTPI)

Service: Planning 

Reports to: Planning Enforcement Manager

Manages/Supervises: N/A

Job purpose

• To assist in providing an effective and efficient Planning Enforcement Service in accordance with statutory requirements, approved policy and the Council’s policies, procedures, and targets.
• To be the Lead Officer on a range of complex and high profile Planning Enforcement cases.

Principal Accountabilities

• Investigation of alleged breaches of planning control in accordance with Council policies, procedures, and targets.
• Undertaking site investigations and evidence gathering.
• Where required, undertake out-of-hours inspections, surveys, surveillance or investigations.
• Cautioning suspects as appropriate.
• Taking statements under caution.
• Carrying out recorded interviews under caution.
• Liaise with key stakeholders as required.
• Make informed recommendations and determine the need for formal action.
• Maintain accurate and up to date records.
• Preparing, issuing, and serving legal documentation.
• Report regularly to the Enforcement Manager as to the result of any inspections, meetings and investigations, presenting documentation as and when requested.
• To update customers and Members in accordance with Council policies, procedures and targets to maintain a high level of customer service.
• Provide cover and support for other Officers within the team, during periods of absence.
• To take responsibility as lead Officer for complex Enforcement Cases, including all the related case management, consultee, legal, and community liaison, Council and Member interface, and engagement of specialist consultancy, where required.
• Where appropriate, negotiate resolutions to complex Enforcement Cases, to resolve breaches of planning control, and ensure ongoing compliance through appropriate monitoring.
• Prepare Reports, Enforcement Notices, and other evidence, and recommend the action to be taken.
• To prepare and give evidence in relation to complex Planning Enforcement Cases subject to: Appeal, including written representation appeals and to represent the Council at Informal Hearings and Public Inquiries; Prosecution; Direction Action; and a High Court Injunction.
• Ability to coach and mentor the Planning Enforcement Officers and Planning Enforcement Compliance Officer within the team.
• Deputise in the absence of the Planning Enforcement Manager, including case allocation, attendance at meetings, and checking draft reports and decisions for the Planning Enforcement Team, prior to being considered under delegated authority by the Planning Development Manager.

Corporate Accountabilities

• To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance.
• To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
• Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
• To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
• Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business
  continuity and during civil emergencies.
• To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

(Tested at application and interview stage)

Experience and Qualifications

Essential:

• Experience in a range of Planning Enforcement work (within LPA or private sector), including complex Enforcement Cases and Appeals, Prosecution, Direction Action and High Court Injunctions.
• Experience of negotiating resolutions to complex Planning Enforcement issues.
• Experience in working in an Enforcement Environment.
• Previous experience of working within a customer focused environment.
• Understanding of the technical and legal requirements of enforcement work.
• Experience in working in a Planning Enforcement or Planning team.

Desirable:

• Degree qualification recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (Desirable), or a qualification in your area of expertise equivalent to a degree, or relevant experience of 5 years.
• A good standard of education, including Maths and English Language to GCSE Level.
• Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute or eligibility for membership (Desirable).

Skills and Knowledge

Essential:

• Understanding of Planning Law and National Planning policies/guidance relating to Planning Enforcement.
• Understanding of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, Police and Criminal Evidence Act, Criminal Procedure and Investigation (CPIA) Act, The Human Rights Act, and General Data Protection Regulations.
• Understanding of the National Planning Policy perspective.
• An interest in the built and natural environment.
• Ability to interpret plans and understand related information.
• Ability to prepare clear written reports, statements, and correspondence.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Able to manage conflict.
• Current UK Driving Licence and access to a car.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
• Decisive, self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication, report writing, and customer service skills, as well as the necessary motivation to deliver high performance.
• Experience with enforcement under the Town & Country Planning Act.
• Ability to work in a paperless working environment with the use of tablets and a Mobile Working App to undertake site visits across the District.
• Ability to manage a diverse caseload of complex Enforcement Cases and Appeals and work to tight deadlines.
• Ability to present reports to public/Member meetings.

Desirable:

• Experience in the use of IT hardware and software, including Uniform, IDOX DMS, and IDOX Enterprise.

Competencies

We test this at interview stage

Communicating Effectively

Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation.

• Present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding.
• Listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions.
• Present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon.
• Seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with.
• Choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach.

Performing efficiently and effectively

Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results. Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems.

• Ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council.
• Plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements, and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders.
• See tasks and objectives through to completion.
• Approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm.
• Strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability

Using and managing resources efficiently and effectively

Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.

• Take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage.
• Use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness.
• Seek out ways to improve the use of resources.

Engaging with the customer

Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services.

• Provide a helpful and friendly service to customers both internally and externally.
• Take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues.
• Make efforts to fully understand the customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “we know best”.
• Ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer.
• Seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide.

Working well together

Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition.

• Co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals.
• Demonstrate consideration, and respect for other’s feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions.
• Maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council.
• Seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved.
• Demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others.

Other conditions

• This position does not require a DBS check 
• This position does entitle you to a lease car, subject to scheme criteria
• This position does entitle you to a casual car allowance
• This position is not politically restricted

Job profile updated: July 2025

Values and behaviours

Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.

Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.

Our vision

We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results

Our core values