The Planning Inspectorate- Wales

Planning Inspector - Guidance Notes

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Background to the Planning Inspectorate

The Planning Inspectorate is an Executive Agency in the Office of the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Communities and Local Government. It is the prime source of impartial expertise for resolving disputes about the use of land, natural resources and the environment.

The Inspectorate undertakes a wide range of casework under planning, housing, environment, highways and allied legislation on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Casework arising in Wales from our Cardiff office and casework arising in England is dealt with from our Bristol headquarters and .

We propose to appoint a number of Planning Inspectors to start work from early 2002. We are offering appointments on a permanent and pensionable salaried basis, full time, or part-time (flexible basis) and also on a fee paid consultancy basis (non salaried).

Publications

The following publications may be of interest:

The Planning Inspectorate Annual Report and Accounts
Sixth report of the Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate (obtainable from DETR Free Literature, PO Box 236, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7NB - telephone 0870 1226 236, quoting product code 99 DPL 010).

2. DIVERSITY

The Planning Inspectorate is committed to ensuring:

equality of opportunity; and

that all our systems are fair, open and objective and visible to those inside and outside the organisation.

We endeavour to promote this approach with all persons we come in to contact with. We also believe that we are responsible for ensuring that the highest principles of equal opportunities are applied.

As an equal opportunities organisation we make no distinction between people on grounds of their:

race
ethnic or national origin
age
religion
sex
marital status
disability
part-time status
sexual orientation.

All staff are able to challenge discriminating attitudes and practices.

3. QUALIFICATIONS & ATTRIBUTES NEEDED

An Inspector's work

The main function of a Planning Inspector is to decide appeals under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other environmental legislation. An appeal is decided by one of three methods: public inquiry, hearing or by written representations. The role of the Inspector is to conduct inquiries and hearings and to carry out site visits, considering both written and oral evidence in order to reach fully reasoned decisions. The role is governed by three fundamental principles of openness, fairness and impartiality. An Inspector's work brings high rewards in terms of job satisfaction, professional status and an independent working lifestyle. The work is also intellectually stimulating and challenging. It may involve extensive travel. To work alone effectively, Inspectors require a high level of self-reliance, motivation and confidence.

Inspectors are fully equipped with the necessary computer equipment to enable them to do their job. By January 2002, all Inspectors will be linked to our intranet.

Qualifications & Experience Many of our Inspectors are graduates and members of professional bodies, such as the RTPI, RIBA, ICE or RICS but significant numbers come from different educational and professional backgrounds. Pen pictures of some of our Inspectors are attached at Appendix D.

You should normally be educated to at least degree level and preferably hold a professional qualification related to planning, environment, architecture, law or engineering. You are likely to have worked in your field for a number of years and have significant experience at a senior level. If you are appointed, you are required to tell us if you are a Freemason. You must also tell us if the situation changes.

Personal qualities An Inspector's work is demanding. It requires total commitment, high intellectual standards, stamina and maturity. Inspectors are expected to produce consistently high quality decisions for which they are wholly responsible.The skills and qualities required of an Inspector are set out in Appendix A. In particular, you will need to demonstrate during the selection process that you have the appropriate level of:

problem solving, analytical, judgement and decision-making skills;
written skills;
professional and technical knowledge;
resence, impact and self confidence;
communication and interpersonal skills;
ability to organise your work and submit it on time;
ability to work effectively from home and in an independent environment.

Welsh-speakers

The Welsh Language Act 1993 established that, in conducting business and the administration of justice in Wales, the English and Welsh languages should be treated equally. The Welsh Language Scheme specifies the measures the Inspectorate proposes to take to achieve this, in respect of the provision of services to the public in Wales. It represents what is both appropriate and reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

Although we are not specifically looking for Welsh Language speakers at this time, we nevertheless welcome applications from those who are able to conduct site visits and hold inquiries and hearings in Welsh. However, you are not required to have formal qualifications in the Welsh language. All decisions and themajority of theInspectorate's work in Wales are written in English.

Disabled candidates

If you have a disability, but still meet the minimum selection criteria (see above), we guarantee you will be invited to attend the first stage of the selection process (see Part 6), unless the disability is likely to prevent your fulfilling the physical requirements of the post.

If you have a disability and want advice about whether you would be able to fulfil the physical requirements of an Inspector's work, please phone our helpline on 0117 372 8939 to discuss the implications of your particular disability.

4. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

If you successfully complete the selection process you will be appointed to the grade of Housing and Planning Inspector (HPI) for which the current salary starts at £29,295 (salaries are reviewed on 1 August each year). Unless you have previous experience as a Planning Inspector, you will start at the bottom of the range. These arrangements will apply to existing civil servants as well as to new entrants to the Civil Service.

Please see Appendix E, which outlines the various working options/patterns and salary scales.

Advancement/managerial opportunities

Once you have become established, you may wish to advance your career with us. If any subsequent post you hold requires taking up managerial responsibilities, we may require you to be based at our offices in Bristol.

Private practice

It will be a condition of appointment for all salaried Inspectors that you do not engage in private practice.

Nationality requirements

In general, we can accept applications for these posts only from British or Commonwealth citizens, British Protected persons, citizens of the Irish Republic, or EU Nationals.If you do not fall within one of the above categories but wish to apply, please write to us at the address given at the end of these Notes or phone us on 0117 372 8786 giving full details of your nationality.

5. WORKING PRACTICES

Youwill be home-based and required to accommodate a computer, printer, appropriate furniture, a business telephone line, answerphone and appropriate electronic data links, together with a wide range of reference material, all of which will be provided.

Appendix B sets out our recommended space guidelines.

Inquiries and hearings are held in the District or County area within which the appeal site is located. Therefore you will regularly work away from home and on occasion stay away overnight. If there are any restrictions on your being able to do that, you should think carefully about how you would fulfil the requirements of the post. However, your work schedule will generally be set up in advance so that you can plan your domestic arrangements to cover your absence from home. After an inquiry, hearing or site visit programme has been completed you will spend time at home writing your reports and decisions. Overall, most Inspectors find they spend more time working at home than they do away.

From time to time you will be required to attend meetings at either of our offices in Bristol, Cardiff or at one of the Government Regional Offices.

Appendix C is a self-assessment questionnaire to help you decide whether you would find it easy to adapt to the lifestyle of working from home.

Training

All Inspectors receive comprehensive training, which will cover not only the planning system and decision writing but also the use of IT equipment. Immediately on appointment you will be required to attend a two-week residential training course. After a short interval, we will follow this with a one-week specialist course and a further one-week course related to hearings. Courses attended during your probation period are mandatory regardless of whether you are full or part time. However, the probationary period will be adjusted to allow part time workers to meet the required standard.

The Inspectorate also holds an annual training week, which all Inspectors are required to attend. This is normally held in April at a University campus.

Travel

Travel for business purposes is by hire car, your own vehicle (for which a mileage allowance is paid) or by public transport.

6. APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCEDURES

The selection process will be held in 3 stages. It will include written and oral tests and informal and formal interviews. Initially, we will assess all applications and invite the most suitable to attend the first of the 3 stages.

All the tests will be in English. However, if you indicated on the application form that you have knowledge of the Welsh language and are selected to sit the second stage of the selection process, we will assess your level of proficiency in spoken Welsh.

All travel expenses will be reimbursed. If you need to stay overnight for the final interview, a subsistence allowance will be paid. We will send full details to those who are invited to attend.

Please note: if you are unable to attend on any of the dates specified below, we will not be able to offer any alternative dates.

The 3 stages of the selection process are:

First stage

You will be asked to draft a planning appeal decision. You must demonstrate that you can identify the major factors and show by clear reasoning how you arrive at your conclusions. In addition to assessing your analytical skills, the test will be judged against the following key written skills required of an Inspector, being accuracy, clarity, conciseness, logic, structure, fluency and tact.

The test will be held on either the 4th or 5th September in Bristol. It will be conducted using the Microsoft Office Computer package. If you are not familiar with this you can do the test manually or use your own laptop computer. Each test will be assessed on its merits, regardless of the chosen method.

If you are successful in this test you will be invited to the second stage of the selection process.

Second stage

This will consist of:

a mock hearing, during which you will be required to act as a Planning Inspector and direct the proceedings. The hearing will enable you to demonstrate interpersonal skills, including oral communication, flexibility of thought, responsiveness to others and decisiveness;
a critical thinking test (written); and
an initial interview with a panel of Inspectors.

If selected, you will attend these tests and the initial interview all on the same day. They will be held in Bristol on the 13th and 14th September.

Final stage

If you are successful in your second stage tests, you will be invited to attend a final interview in Bristol. These will be held between the 3rd and 10th October and 12th and 16th November. We apply for references only if you are selected to attend the final interview.

Start date

Successful candidates will be expected to start work from early 2002, although we may decide to offer some candidates a later start date. The training programme for newInspectors is run ona residential basis and it is unlikely that we will be able to be flexible about the final start date.

Application procedures

To receive an application pack, you can either write to:

Gemma Prideaux, The Planning Inspectorate (Insp2001), Room G/08, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN,

Phone us on 0117 372 6002.

Completed application forms must be returned by Friday 8 June 2001 to the above address.
If you would like us to confirm receipt of your application form, please complete your name and address on the acknowledgement card and return it with the completed application form. If you do not receive the card within 10 days, please phone us on 0117 372 8786.

The enclosed forms dealing with character and health must be completed and returned with the application. Completion of the diversity questionnaire is voluntary.

These Guidance Notes are available in large print format, audio and other languages. If you would like to receive a copy, please phone us on 0117 372 6322