Job description
Summary
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Job Description
1. Job details
| Job title: | Compliance and Legal Support Officer |
|---|---|
| Team: | Planning Enforcement |
| Directorate: | Strategy and Planning |
| Post number: | P03000 |
| Hours per week: | 37 |
| Grade: | Band 5 |
| Base: | Town Hall, Lymington |
| Accountable to: | Planning Enforcement Manager |
| Responsible for: | N/A |
| Budget Responsible Officer (BRO): | No |
| Car user: | Casual |
| Politically restricted: | No |
| Does this post involve working with children and/or vulnerable people? | No |
| Membership of professional body required: | No |
| Key liaisons: |
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2. Role summary
2.1 To monitor new development to ensure compliance with approved plans, including compliance with conditions imposed on the grant of planning permission, and to take appropriate action in respect of any deviations from the approved plans and/or the conditions of the planning permission.
2.2 To monitor compliance with section 106 agreements to ensure developers’ obligations are delivered on time, and to take appropriate action in respect of any contraventions of section 106 agreements.
2.3 To provide administrative support to the NPA’s Solicitor and Monitoring Officer on enforcement and planning related work.
3 Main duties and responsibilities
3.1 To record and maintain details of all relevant planning permissions for compliance and monitoring purposes, making full use of the NPA’s planning computer system (AGILE).
3.2 To monitor new development on site to ensure that it is undertaken in accordance with the approved plans and to identify whether a breach of planning control has taken place.
3.3 To investigate and progress the submission of details required by conditions attached to planning permissions.
3.4 To undertake any relevant correspondence relating to the above tasks.
3.5 To identify and investigate non-compliant development and liaise with the Planning Enforcement Manager to seek remedies as appropriate.
3.6 To prepare concise and accurate records at the time of investigation which are capable of being presented as evidence in court if necessary.
3.7 To carry out any further duties as requested from time to time by the Planning Enforcement Manager.
3.8 To assist with general enforcement duties and investigations as and when required.
3.9 To assist the planning teams to operate in an efficient, effective and customer friendly way that meets all relevant government, professional and other performance standards, to include proving administrative support to the NPA’s Solicitor and Monitoring Officer on enforcement and planning related work.
4 Problem solving
4.1 A commitment to the highest standards of customer care and to the achievement of professional and timescale targets. Suggesting practical solutions to remedy breaches of planning control. This will often require an appropriate prioritisation of work and the need to handle a heavy workload in an effective manner.
5 Decision making
5.1 Involved in assessments of the most effective way to resolve compliance and monitoring issues in consultation with the Planning Enforcement Manager.
6 Operational responsibility
6.1 A requirement to deputise for the Planning Enforcement Officers on occasions.
6.2 Involvement in enforcement issues and associated tasks may involve teamwork with other NPA colleagues, consultants and other organisations. The post holder will be expected to work with other team members to assist the team in meeting targets and achieving the desired outcomes.
7 Communication
7.1 Oral skills are required to represent the NPA effectively and to deal with complainants/interested parties who may not be entirely familiar with the planning process.
7.2 Written skills and the ability to use plain English in correspondence and reports is required, to set out a clear, concise and logical approach. This approach is needed to assist decision makers to reach the appropriate conclusion when dealing with finely balanced or complex issues.
7.3 Negotiation skills are essential when dealing with complainants, developers, owners and NPA members, other agencies and NPA staff, to achieve the most beneficial outcomes.
8 Working conditions
8.1 Work from an office base but required to undertake frequent site visits within and just outside the boundary of the National Park.
8.2 The position may involve personal contact with people with differing views to the NPA's policies, plans and objectives.
9 General
9.1 The post holder must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to NPA policy and procedures.
9.2 All staff have a responsibility to participate in the NPA Appraisal Scheme and to contribute to their own development, and the development of any staff they appraise or are responsible for.
10 Job description agreement
10.1 The above Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive, the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the service.
Job holder’s signature:
Date
Manager’s signature:
Date
Person Specification
Compliance and Legal Support Officer
Strategy and Planning
| Criteria | Essential | Desirable | Assessed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education / qualifications | |||
| Good general education to GCSE level (or equivalent) or comparable in terms of demonstrable experience | Y | A | |
| Experience | |||
| Recent experience of working in a local planning authority | Y | A / I | |
| Demonstrate previous experience of working as an effective team member | Y | A / I | |
| Knowledge | |||
| Ability to read, interpret and scale plans | Y | A / I / T | |
| Computer literacy and the ability to work with a database | Y | A / I | |
| Knowledge of planning legislation or experience of interpreting/applying legislation | Y | A / I | |
| Skills | |||
| Good interpersonal skills and ability to manage difficult/complex situations | Y | A / I | |
| Demonstrates good customer service skills to interact effectively and professionally with external and internal customers. | Y | A / I | |
| Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing | Y | A / I | |
| Proven ability to manage conflicting demands, resolve issues and meet deadlines | Y | A / I | |
| Impact and attributes | |||
| Ability to understand the need to treat all information confidentially, especially in relation to planning matters | Y | A / I |
Evidence assessed by key:
- A = Application form / CV
- I = Interview
- T = Testing / assessment / presentation