Temporary PT Tree Officer – Conservation Planning

Reference no: Dorset 5223418

Pay rate: Up to £17.44 per hour PAYE depending on experience

Full driving licence required

A Tree Officer is required work within the Conservation team providing input to the planning service for the Council.  This primarily involves providing specialist tree advice regarding Tree Work applications and development management applications with experience of tree work applications and undertaking consultations on planning applications.

Experience of tree preservation orders, conservation areas and other planning controls is required, and the ability to write reports and use digital mapping system plotting. Knowledge of tree amenity and landscape principles is essential for this role as is the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English.

Key responsibilities:

• Process and make recommendations on tree work applications.
• Assess, negotiate and process tree work applications, undertaking site visits, site appraisals and site research for planning applications.
• Enter into negotiations with applicants on tree work applications keeping stakeholders, including elected members, updated on tree work applications and make recommendations and compile delegated and committee reports.
• Undertake appraisals and negotiation of planning applications in relation to trees, planting schemes and / or tree species selection and maintenance, and advise planning officers of the implications of development proposals upon tree matters.
• Monitor arboricultural protection measures on development sites and make recommendations on the making and updating of Tree Preservation Orders and compile reports on Hedgerow removal notices.
• Provide advice through the pre-applications process for both tree works and within the planning process.
• Represent the Council’s case in relation to tree and landscape matters for planning appeals and tree work applications appeals.
• Compile appeal statements, including those for written representations and informal hearings, and attend appeal site visits.
• Process and make recommendations on High Hedge applications and gather evidence and take appropriate action with regard to alleged breaches under relevant planning legislation including TPOs, conservation areas and breaches of planning conditions. Liaise with enforcement officers in development management who will be the overall lead in enforcement cases.

“Role Requirements” – to give yourself the maximum chance of success please try and ensure your CV addresses the following essential criteria:

Qualifications:

• Level 2 or above Arboricultural qualification, degree or equivalent experience.
• Level 4 Arboricultural qualification, degree or equivalent experience desirable.
• Membership of a relevant professional body, or be working towards it.
• Commitment and evidence of undertaking continuous personal and professional development in order to keep up with changes in national policy and best practice.

Experience:

• Experience of tree preservation orders, conservation areas and other planning controls is essential.
• Ability to write reports and use digital mapping system plotting.
• Experience of providing advice on development management applications and working on more complex cases in addition to making recommendations on tree work applications desirable.
• Minimum of 12 months recent experience in a similar role, or context and ideally within a public sector organisation.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Knowledge of tree amenity and landscape principles is essential.
• Ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English.
• Ability to write reports and use digital mapping system plotting.
• Effective time management with ability to meet deadlines.
• Able to follow procedures, evaluate problems and identify practical solutions.

NB: Please feel free to apply to us direct via [email protected] by quoting the job reference and job title exactly. SEE DETAILS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS AD.

If you have previously applied to one of our vacancies and have already sent the required supporting documentation to us, please make this clear when you re-apply as this will help speed up your application.

To help speed up the process of uploading your CV to the client we would suggest that you send us your CV in Word format (or equivalent) if possible, rather than as a PDF.

If you are successful in securing this role, please note that for the entire duration of this contract, regardless of extension you will be working this role at the PAYE rate that has been advertised. For absolute clarity, we only work on a PAYE basis, rather than entertaining umbrella pay terms, we do not offer Ltd/umbrella or outside IR35 rates. If you wish to understand PAYE vs Umbrella more, please let us know and we can send you some additional information for clarity.