The Position:

Westmeath County Council employs over 590 staff across eight service divisions. Housing & Building; Road, Transport & Safety; Rural Water; Development Management; Environmental Protection; Recreation & Amenity; Climate Action, Agriculture & Education and Miscellaneous Services. It consists of 20 democratically elected members. The Council is mandated to deliver a diverse range of functions and services which can be broadly described under the headings of economic development, community development, provision of physical and social infrastructure, recreation and amenity services, and the enforcement of the planning and environmental regulatory framework. The Council now invites applications from suitably qualified persons who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which permanent and fixed term contract posts for the position of Executive Planner will be drawn.

Executive Planners are responsible for implementing programmes of work in the Planning Department and for providing a multiplicity of planning services and related services. Executive Planner positions are multi-faceted and may include some or all of the following key service areas:

 Development Management

 Planning Enforcement

 Forward Planning and Sustainable Development

 Community Planning

 Biodiversity

 Transport Planning

 Conservation/Heritage Planning

Executive Planners will be required to input into multi-disciplinary project teams on occasions, under the direction and supervision of the Senior Planner or other appropriate officer.

The Executive Planner will from time to time be required to deputise for Senior Executive Planner or more senior personnel and must be willing to take on this challenge. The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated person, with a strong sense of commitment to delivering quality public services and shall demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of:

 Local Authority services, its key stakeholders and relationships

 Local Government Structures and its democratic role and mandate

 Current Local Government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, particularly in relation to planning policy and practice.

 Key policies guiding the local government sector

 National, Regional and Local planning issues

 Fostering and maintaining wide ranging productive working relationship both internally and externally to the organisation

 Implementing change

 Integrity and public service values

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Executive Planner duties include but are not limited to the following;

 Assessment and making of recommendations on planning applications in line with all relevant national, regional and local planning plans/policies, and in accordance with the appropriate legislation and guidelines as required.

 Conducting pre-application consultations and provision of planning advice to members of the public, internal departments and to the Elected Members.

 Advising on and preparation of recommendations on ‘Section 5’ exempted development declaration applications and other declarations as directed.

 Giving planning advice on the preparation and processing of “Part 8” Local Authority development applications.

 Assist in the preparation and implementation of the County Development Plan, Local Area Plans and other planning reports as required.

 Preparation of policy and reports as required on a wide variety of planning matters.

 Planning Enforcement duties including drafting reports, conducting site visits and appearing in Court.

 Assist in public consultation and engagement exercises related to Planning.

 Monitoring and reporting on implementation progress, including gathering/analysis of development.

 Building and maintaining co-operative working relationships including the supervision of staff as required.

 Represent the Council at meetings with staff, elected members, community/general interest groups, businesses and residents.

The post holder may be required to perform duties appropriate to the post, other than those detailed above, and to take instructions from and report to, an appropriate Officer or such designated Officer as may be assigned from time to time by Westmeath County Council.

FURTHER DETAILS FOR THE EXECUTIVE PLANNER POSITION ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CANDIDATE INFORMATION BOOKLET