Senior Planning Enforcement Officer

•    You will be part of a Somerset wide Planning Enforcement team and would operate in one of the geographic areas of Somerset 
•    Due to the need to undertake site visits you will need to be in the office 1-2 days a week with the option for home working the rest of the time
•    This role provides 30 days annual leave
•    As a developing service you would be in a position to inform and develop process improvements
•    Scale of Somerset means there are CPD opportunities the shadow investigations through the processes and peer support 
•    Permanent Role 

Day to day, as a Senior Planning Enforcement Officer you would be responding to and assessing breaches of planning control, triaging complaints and carrying an Enforcement caseload. You would be working pro-actively, negotiating to ensure the appropriate outcomes and acting where necessary in accordance with Somersets Enforcement Policy. You would be supported by the Principal Enforcement Officer, by other Seniors within the team and Planning Officers within the wider Development Management Service. The role would require engagement with the public, elected members and stakeholders working to achieve the best outcome for all.

Currently we have roles within the Enforcement and Appeals team which would offer the total enforcement experience from small scale breaches, negotiation, serving notices, prosecution, injuctions and High Court. Given the size of the area and the team there is a full range of experience for peer support or shadowing enforcement cases through processes that you have not yet experienced. You will be directly managed by a Principal Enforcement Officer who will have oversight of the team with the Enforcement function falling under the Planning Service Manager.
As the second largest and newly formed Unitary we are also actively leading on improvement projects throughout the service and are engaging with staff to influence the outcomes. We are working to combine the best practices of 4 former Districts and a County to streamline processes and present a unified front.

To match the variety on the development management horizon the Council has applications through the Town and Country Planning Act, Local Development Orders, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and is starting work on the Somerset wide Local Plan.

All this means that you’ll have the chance to develop your experience and skills with us the range of which will be difficult to match elsewhere.

We continue to shape our service as a new authority and we’re not sitting still. If you relish opportunities to inform, influence and streamline you could be a key part of the evolution of a large planning and enforcement service.

We are looking for qualified and/or experienced Enforcement Officers, with experience of determining and negotiating on complex enforcement caseloads within a Local Authority environment. Ideally, we are looking for experience in servicing notices, enforcement appeals, direct action, proceeds of crime and prosecution but appropriate peer support and training is available. This role may also include the need to support the development of the Enforcement Officers within the team.

We are seeking someone who is or be eligible to become a Chartered Planner, if you are not already Chartered, this will be encouraged for your development once in the role.  Consideration would also be given to those coming from a law enforcement background.

We’re proud to be here to support the communities of Somerset. We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team as we aim to be as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve. 

Please contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

The ability to shape a mould the future enforcement service for Somerset within a team that offers a supportive and rewarding environment. The team are passionate about the work they do and work collaboratively to ensure the best outcome for all, to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer a variety of training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

•    We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
•    Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
•    Staff discounts in gyms.
•    Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
•    Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
•    A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
•    My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

The salary for the Senior Planning Enforcement Officer role is Grade 9, ranging from £40,476 to £44,711 per annum.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Dawn deVries via email at dawn.devries@somerset.gov.uk

Interviews will be held between March 26th - 28th 2025

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button - we can’t wait to hear from you.