Job title: Planning Enforcement Officer
Salary: C1 - SO1 £28,598 - £36,363
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Leeds
As a Planning Enforcement Officer, you’ll enjoy working with colleagues across the Council and outside it to help deliver a key planning service to the city. You’ll be joining one of the largest core-city planning authorities and busiest enforcement services in the country, within a diverse and thriving area.
The Planning service has adopted a hybrid working model, with staff operating from home and from a modern office environment within the City Centre.
Leeds City Council is one of the biggest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As an Enforcement Officer you will bring to the role:
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The ability to communicate effectively with wide range of customers
- You will have strong negotiation and problem-solving skills
- You will be used to working to high standards to meet tight deadlines
- An ability to act on your own initiative
- Be well practiced in maintaining and updating records
About the role
The role involves working in one of two area teams handling a full range enforcement matters in urban and rural environments, as part of the Development Management Service. You will liaise closely with colleagues in all areas of the Council, other authorities, public bodies and private organisations to deliver high quality enforcement outcomes to Members, developers and the citizens of Leeds.
You will deal with a varied enforcement caseload within an area team. The successful candidates will need to be able to demonstrate they have the necessary investigative and people skills to take cases from initial investigation to resolution through appropriate actions, in an outcome focused environment.
The service is based in Merrion House in Leeds City Centre, but has adopted a flexible, hybrid working model.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
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A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
- Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
- A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
- A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.
How to apply
Please complete the online application form
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Lisa Hart, Team Leader. Call 0113 3788073, or email
[email protected].
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job Purpose - Investigate breaches of planning control and seek to deal with them in a positive way, which maintains the environment and special character and amenity of areas.
Responsibilities for Grade C1
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Investigate alleged breaches of planning control, negotiate solutions, and make recommendations for the outcomes and determination of cases.
- Effectively manage and progress a caseload of enforcement cases to ensure breaches of planning control are resolved.
- Prepare and serve legal notices and prepare and give evidence in court cases and in planning appeals.
- Monitor planning permissions and legal agreements on key developments sites and act, as appropriate, to secure compliance.
- Prepare reasoned, balanced reports and make recommendations with minimal supervision on progress of cases, make appropriate recommendations, keeping interested parties informed on progress.
- Maintain effective communications with service users and to ensure stakeholders are kept informed.
- Project management of cases.
- Be involved in projects and actions for continuous service improvements.
- Communicate with a full range of customers by letter telephone and in person with minimal supervision on factual matters, and some supervision on matters involving giving an opinion.
- Deal with a range of enforcement cases of varying levels of complexity, with some supervision on more complex cases.
- Deal with simple enforcement cases with minimal supervision.
- Discuss simple enforcement cases with customers and gives opinions on options available and likely outcomes with some supervision.
- Negotiate solutions, with some supervision.
- Prepare evidence and witness statements for prosecutions with some supervision.
- Work as a member of the team and will have regular contact with Senior Managers and other staff. There will be contact with other council staff and a wide range of other external customers and stakeholders.
Additional Responsibilities for Grade: C3
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Deal with a range of enforcement cases of varying complexity.
- Discuss a range of enforcement cases with customers and gives guidance to customers on the options available and the likely outcomes.
- Negotiate solutions with customers.
- Deal with simple written enforcement appeals.
- Prepare evidence and witness statements for prosecutions.
Additional Responsibilities for Grade: SO1
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Deal with a full range of enforcement cases including complex cases, including giving opinions to customers on the options available and likely outcomes.
- Prepare detailed reports on complex issues, reaches reasoned conclusions and makes recommendations.
- Deal with a range of enforcement appeals.
- Negotiate solutions with customers on a range of enforcement cases, including complex cases.
- Prepare and serve enforcement notices.
- Prepare cases for prosecution across full range of planning breaches and gives evidence at court hearings.
- The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications
Demonstrating ability in numeracy and literacy or equivalent knowledge and experience. Progression through to SO1 will be dependent on the ability to demonstrate that the candidate can meet the following requirements: Successful completion of an appropriate qualification in planning enforcement and / or experience in dealing with a full range of planning enforcement activities. The preparation of and the service of enforcement notices. The preparation of cases for prosecution and the prosecution of cases in the magistrate’s court. Understanding of the role and relationship of planning enforcement to planning services and other statutory regulations.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
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Able to maintain and update records
- Able to understand and interpret architectural plans/drawings
- Able to communicate effectively with wide range of customers
- Able to apply negotiation and problem-solving skills
- Able to work to high standards to meet tight deadlines
- Able to act on own initiative
- Able to demonstrate flexibility and self-motivation
- Able to make decisions
- Knowledge of the role, functions, and responsibilities of a local planning authority
- Experience of dealing with members of the public
- Experience of working as part of a team
- Experience of investigative work
- Experience of using IT packages
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
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Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
- Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city
- Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
- Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training, and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
- Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
- Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
- Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
- The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol, and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.
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Full Driving licence
- Knowledge of the statutory town and country planning framework and procedures, including planning enforcement powers
- Planning enforcement work or dealing with planning applications
- Report writing
- Inter disciplinary team working
