Technical Officer/Trainee Planner

Technical Officer/Trainee Planner To work as a part of a team responsible for all supporting administrative functions for the processing of planning applications, including receipt, scanning, validation, consultation, committee preparation and the issuing of decision notices.

To assist with the preparation of the agenda for the Planning Application Committee.

To provide customer advice on planning matters and to accurately direct customers to the relevant authorities for advice on other topics.

Principal Accountabilities Technical Officer/Trainee Planner

• Carry out all procedures associated with the legal validation of planning applications, including checking fees, ensuring that all documents, certificates and plans are correctly supplied and negotiating variations to submitted documents and plans.
• To receive and receipt applications and accompanying fees, ensuring that all money payments taken are properly recorded and made safe pending banking, maintaining daily records of all fees and sales income received in accordance with adopted procedures.
• To be responsible for accurately identifying all relevant consultees for each application type and to carry out all consultation notification and correspondence procedures connected with planning application, within the required target times.
• To use the document management system to scan and index application documents, using multiple data sources to identify the correct index to apply to documents.
• To carry out all other support functions in connection with the processing of planning applications, including co-ordinating the major cases meeting agenda, preparation of committee presentations and the issuing of decision notices.
• Where a recognised technical qualification is being undertaken or the postholder is suitably experienced and subject to management agreement, to deal with all aspects of range of simple planning applications.
• To participate in the maintenance, development and implementation of processes and systems, including continuous review to ensure best working practice and service delivery.
• To undertake basic research and record technical information including statistical returns when necessary for the performance management purposes.
• To be responsible for logging planning application fee and sales income, refunds and associated banking functions, via the Oracle finance system.
• To provide advice to customers both in person, by telephone or electronic means, on planning process matters and to accurately direct customers to the relevant authorities for advice on other topics.
• To ensure that the council's statutory registers of current and decided planning applications are maintained and updated as necessary
• To work flexibly in undertaking the duties and responsibilities of this job and participate as required in multi-disciplinary and cross-organisational groups and task teams.

It is essential that in your written supporting statement you give evidence or examples of your proven experience in each of the short-listing criteria marked Application (A)

You should expect that all areas listed below will be assessed as part of the interview and assessment process should you be shortlisted.

If you are applying under the two ticks scheme, you will need to give evidence or examples of your proven experience in the areas marked with Two Ticks on the person specification when you complete the application form.

Shortlisting Criteria Technical Officer/Trainee Planner

For link/career graded post, please mark knowledge, experience, and behaviours clearly

Educated to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent

An understanding of the workings of the planning process

A good understanding of working in local government / the public sector and the importance of public service, ethics and standards, partnership working and customer care.

Relevant Experience Technical Officer/Trainee Planner

Experience of providing comprehensive administrative support, and a customer facing service, as part of a team within a busy and demanding environment.

Experience of working to tight deadlines with conflicting priorities.

Experience of providing advice to customers.