Shared Planning Lawyer

Note: this is a shared role between Broxbourne Borough Council and East Herts District Council but the employer is Broxbourne Borough Council.

Are you a focused, enthusiastic team player who enjoys a varied and interesting caseload? We are looking for someone like you to join our team! In this role you will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of town and country planning projects from environmental sustainability to multimillion-pound regeneration schemes.

As a key member of our shared Legal Service for Broxbourne Borough Council and East Herts District Council, you will manage a varied and interesting planning law caseload. Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing expert legal advice to the Planning Department, senior officers and elected Members on all matters relating to Town and Country Planning and associated legislation. 
• Identifying and delivering innovative legal solutions to support colleagues in resolving complex planning issues and enabling effective decision making.
• Offering accurate, timely guidance to team members, client officers and Members on the full range of planning law matters. 
• Working collaboratively with the Litigation team on planning enforcement matters, contributing to robust and effective enforcement action.
• Attending and advising at council committees and panels, particularly Planning Committee meetings, ensuring clear, robust and practical legal support. 

As an ideal candidate, you will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with a solid understanding of local government. You will have experience negotiating and drafting agreements under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as well as other planning related agreements. You will be able to work effectively under pressure, using your initiative and adopting a proactive, solutions focused approach to complex issues. Strong relationship building skills are essential, enabling you to work confidently with officers, elected Members and external professionals. You will also be capable of managing your own caseload to a high professional standard, responding quickly and accurately to urgent matters and consistently meeting deadlines. 

Experience of working within a local government environment is desirable but not essential. What matters is conscientiousness, hard-working and self motivation, sound judgement and professionalism.  The Council offers flexible working arrangements to support a healthy work-life balance.

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in fluent English is essential in this post.

We have adopted the core values of Teamwork, Innovation, Effectiveness and Respect (TIER).The values and their underlying behaviours, demonstrate our commitment to providing excellent customer care, working in a joined up way, showing respect at all times and looking at innovation and forward thinking solutions. We pride ourselves on recruiting, developing and retaining talent who share this commitment.

We are committed to safer recruitment, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Council's benefits package includes generous leave entitlement, a full training and development programme, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and free membership to the Council's local leisure centres, which includes free access to gyms, swimming pools, fitness classes, racket sport sessions, a health suite and a range of generous discounts across other leisure and culture services.