Application for two J category licences

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A decision made (27.06.06) to endorse the application for 2 'J' category licences to be granted.

Subject:	Senior Planner, Development Control and Assistant Senior Planner, Development Control Application to the Population Office for five year and a 3 year "J" category Licence to be granted.
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0065	Decision Reference:
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written	Type of Report (oral or written):		Written
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	N/A	Telephone or e-mail Meeting?		N/A
Written Report Title:	Request for "J" Category Licence approval	Written Report Title:		Request for "J" Category Licence approval
Decision(s): The Minister for Planning and Environment endorses the proposal to secure the necessary approvals to enable the appointment of two suitably qualified, experienced and skilled persons from outside the Island under the auspices of the Housing (General Provisions)(Jersey) Regulations 1979, Regulation 1(1)(j) for the post of Senior Planner and Assistant Senior Planner.
Reason(s) for decision: · Local recruitment campaigns have failed to identify suitably qualified and experienced locally qualified candidates for the posts of Senior Planner, grade 12, and Assistant Senior Planner, grade 11. · In view of the need to continue to provide a professional planning service to the people of Jersey, and the high level of professional qualifications and competencies required to fulfil these posts, the Department wishes to seek applicants from the UK. · The roles of Senior Planner and Assistant Senior Planner are both absolutely essential to the business of the Planning and Environment Department and the attainment of States’ Strategic objectives, and therefore fulfil the criteria of ‘essential’ as defined under the housing regulations.
Action Required: · The Chief Executive Officer makes an application to the Population Office for a five year "J" category Licence to be granted for the post of Senior Planner, and a three year ‘J’ category licence for the post of Assistant Senior Planner, under the auspices of the Housing (General Provisions) (Jersey) Regulations 1970, Regulation 1(1)j; · Subject to the approval of the application to the Population Office, the Planning and Environment Department endeavours to recruit suitably qualified and experienced candidates from outside of the Island to fill these two posts.
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision:

Application for two J category licences

Planning and Environment Department

Senior Planner and Assistant Senior Planner, Development Control

1. Purpose of the Report

To seek support for the approval of one three year and one five year J category licence for the posts of Senior Planner and Assistant Senior Planner

2. Background

2.1 The Department currently has two vacancies for key posts in Development Control. One is a Senior Planner, grade 12, which is currently a ‘user pays’ post with limited permission to fund at present (although discussions are continuing with Treasury about this). The other post is for a grade 11 Assistant Senior Planner. Both posts are currently vacant, the Senior post has been vacant for 9 months following the resignation of the postholder for family reasons, and the Assistant Senior post since the end of 2005 when the postholder relocated back to the UK with her family.

2.3 The key qualifications for both posts are:

· a fully qualified planner with Diploma or MSc in a planning discipline;

· a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI);

· substantial post qualification experience;

· a detailed knowledge of planning legislation and policy.

2.4 In recent years it has proved to be very difficult to recruit qualified and experienced planners from amongst the local labour market in Jersey – qualified public sector town planners tend already to be working for the States of Jersey rather than elsewhere in the economy. This has led the Department making a request for J category licences for the post of Principal Planner (grade 13) in mid 2005, and more recently in an associated work area a request was made for the post of Historic Building Officer after failure to recruit locally.

2.5 Adverts for more junior (grade 10) Planners in March and October 2005 resulted in one appointment to a part time post from an individual returning to the workplace after a career break for family reasons, but the second advert did not elicit responses from any qualified applicants.

2.6 An advert has now been placed in the JEP for qualified and experienced Senior Planners to fill these two posts. It is highly unlikely that any suitably qualified individuals will come forward, but if they do they will be shortlisted and interviewed.

2.7 The planning department is already running a training scheme which allows graduates in appropriate specialities to undertake the RTPI qualification. This has resulted over the years in a number of high calibre staff being appointed and retained in positions within the Team. However, it is important to maintain a balance between qualified and unqualified staff, and there is a significant management workload in providing support and mentorship to trainees.

2.7 There are currently no trainees at an appropriate stage in their training to undertake either of these senior roles.

2.8 The impact of not filling these vacant posts is that the workload is spread amongst existing team members, who are already facing challenging and demanding workloads. The Shepley report points to a number of ways that the planning function can be improved in order to meet better the needs of the people of Jersey, and appointment to these two posts will enable a number of key recommendations in his report to be achieved.

3. Comments

3.1 It is the view of the Planning Department that the likelihood of attracting candidates with the appropriate breadth of experience from within Jersey is remote.

3.2 It is therefore proposed that these posts are advertised within the UK using the appropriate professional publication, as well as in Jersey.

3.3 It is expected that the successful candidate will need a Housing licence to occupy property in the Island.

4. Recommendation

4.1 The Minister is asked to support the recruitment of one Senior Planner and one Assistant Senior Planner in the UK and to agree to approach the Population Office seeking a 3 year and a 5 year ‘J’ category licence respectively.

22 May 2006