Job Description

There has never been a more exciting time to join Wirral Council. We\'ve got ambitious targets to meet and to achieve everything we have promised to our residents, we need people who are ready to deliver the very best for our communities and show how they can #BeTheDifference. Our vision is to secure the best possible future for our residents, defined by the community prosperity we create and supported by our excellent people and services. If you strive to #BeTheDifference and want to be at the heart of our change and improvement journey, then this could be the perfect job for you.

Assistant Planning Officer x 2

About the role:

As an Assistant Planning Officer, you will develop your skills in determining planning applications and entering into pre-application discussions. You will gain an understanding of how to assess the planning merits of each application and apply planning policy and guidance to the proposed form of development. There will be opportunity to work alongside Senior Planning Officers dealing with major planning applications and other training opportunities to expand your knowledge. You will gain a good understanding of the relevant law, Government guidance, policies and practice relating to Development Management.

Assistant Planning Officer:

• The role will assist in the undertaking of all aspects of processing minor and householder planning applications including enforcement, in accordance with set performance targets and with appropriate supervision including acting as case officer for planning applications, carrying out the functions required by the post holder to process such applications in an effective and timely manner, including validation, consultation, evaluation, and recommendation preparation of reports for Planning Committee and on delegated items in connection with the above.
• The role undertakes site inspections to liaise with other sections and departments of the Council and outside bodies/organisations as appropriate and provide advice, information and assistance to Ward Councillors and the public on planning applications and related matters with support to prepare written evidence for appeals, including informal hearings when appropriate.
• The role is responsible for managing and responding to pre-application enquiries and correspondence in accordance with the Department\'s policy and may be required to attend meetings both internal and external.
• The role requires effective working knowledge on current interpretation and implementation of national, regional, and local planning laws and regulation.

Hybrid working offers the opportunity to both work from home and also work alongside colleagues in the office. You will be fully supported in learning the role and it is envisaged that the initial period of the appointment will require the post holder to attend the office for one-to-one training and collaboration with colleagues.

The postholder will also need to be able to travel around the borough to conduct site visits as your knowledge and experience develops.

About the candidate:

We are looking for someone who is hard working and keen to gain knowledge and experience in working in a Development Management team within Local Government. You will demonstrate an understanding of Development Control and the role it plays in the planning system.

About us:

At Wirral Council, we work together to make Wirral a place we can all be proud of. Our Local Plan has been submitted for examination and there will opportunity to work closely with colleagues from our Forward Planning team (policy). Wirral is embarking on a series of exciting and ambitious regeneration schemes, and we will offer opportunity for you to work alongside Senior Planning officers working on these schemes. Our vision is to create equity for people and place and opportunities for all to secure the best possible future for our residents, communities, and businesses.

Wirral is thriving and constantly changing. We have completely rewritten who we are as an organisation. It\'s an exciting time for our borough as we progress our ambitious plans and developments. Our priorities are developed based on what our residents have told us they want and need.

In response we\'re working to:

Build a prosperous and inclusive economy for residents and businesses.

Create a sustainable environment to and lead the way on tackling climate change.

Provide safe and pleasant communities.

Support residents to lead active and healthy lives.

Provide brighter futures for our children, young people, and their families.

If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, we\'re keen to hear from you.

Interviews to be held week commencing 4th September 2023.

Working at Wirral

You\'ll also want to know what it\'s like to work here so, as a start:

Our values are more than just pieces of paper on our walls! We\'ve all played a role in developing these, so they reflect the immense pride we have in what we do, what matters to us, what inspires us and inform how we think, approach things, and behave.

We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff wellbeing is a priority for us. We\'re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do. You\'ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing, and investing in our people.

We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, an excellent pension scheme which includes a generous employer contribution rate, immediate life cover and ill-health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family-friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays.

We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities.

Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

We want you to be your best at work, we create the conditions to help you thrive and we mirror this in our recruitment process. If you\'d like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process to make it barrier-free and as accessible as possible, please contact

Please note that in accordance with the Council\'s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies.

It is Council policy not to re-appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council\'s Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances.

Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications.

Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed.

All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK. Details of required documents can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of the Jobs page.

The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now.

Wirral Council