Senior Planning Technician (Complaints, FOI & Finance) - SO1

Main Purpose of the job: � To work flexibly across the planning service to provide in-depth technical and administrative support, with a primary focus on: o handling, monitoring and coordinating planning service complaints (including logging, tracking, performance reporting and quality assurance of responses), o coordinating and responding to Freedom of Information (FOI) and related information requests (including collation, redaction support and deadline management), o finance support including income monitoring, cost recovery, debt chasing and reconciliations; producing management information and reports, o maintaining accurate records across relevant planning systems to support effective casework, complaints and information governance processes, o supporting operational processes including purchase orders, invoices and supplier set-up, ensuring compliance with financial controls and audit requirements. � To assist the planning service management team with their customer service activities, promotion of chargeable services and service improvement projects; such as commercialisation of chargeable services, better data collection, web site changes and self-service. � Although there may be some specialisation of duties within the post, it is expected that all post holders will be able to cover any absence for post holders within their grade or respond to increases in demand for a particular service. Summary of Responsibilities and Personal Duties: 1. To manage the end-to-end administration of planning service complaints, including logging/acknowledgement, tracking deadlines, coordinating input from service areas, quality-checking draft responses and ensuring replies are issued within required timescales. 2. To coordinate and respond to FOI, EIR and related information requests for the Planning Service, including liaising with officers to gather information, maintaining a clear audit trail, supporting redaction where required, and monitoring performance against statutory deadlines. 3. To support financial administration for the Planning Service, including income monitoring, cost recovery, raising purchase orders, receipting invoices, chasing debt where appropriate, and producing regular reconciliations and management information. 4. To undertake redaction of complex and sensitive documents to support complaints handling and information requests, ensuring personal data and legally privileged information is removed in line with GDPR, relevant exemptions and Council policies prior to disclosure. 5. To provide flexible technical support to the wider Planning Service (including validation and consultation on complex planning and related applications where necessary) to help maintain service standards and performance targets. 6. To proactively monitor and report on service performance for complaints, FOI/EIR and key customer enquiries, including maintaining trackers, producing regular management reports and identifying trends and improvement actions. 7. To supervise and coach Planning Technicians in financial administration tasks (including creating suppliers, raising purchase orders, receipting invoices and maintaining records) to ensure accuracy, compliance and timely processing. 8. To utilise knowledge of planning service processes and relevant legislation/policy to investigate and resolve customer enquiries and issues. 9. To take responsibility for achieving a good outcome, ensuring communication with residents, planning professionals, Members and internal customers is clear, concise and addresses the points raised. 10. To provide administrative support to chargeable services (where applicable) and ensure associated income is recorded, monitored and reported accurately. 11. To manage, on behalf of the management team, updates to the planning service�s webpages and standard customer-facing information, ensuring content supports complaint reduction, clear expectations and improved customer experience. 10. To lead on the day-to-day administration of complaints and member/MP/ombudsman enquiries for the Planning Service, including logging and monitoring on the relevant system, coordinating draft responses, editing for completeness/consistency, and ensuring deadlines and service standards are met. To research and respond to FOI/EIR requests in line with statutory requirements. 11. Ensure that any improvement actions arising from complaints and feedback are prioritised and incorporated into the Planning Service�s improvement activities. Identify and advise managers of themes and risks, including those with potential reputational implications. 12. To work as part of a flexible team to ensure that workloads are effectively handled within required timescales, particularly for complaints, FOI/EIR and finance administration. 13. Actively participate in reviewing and implementing service improvement initiatives including process development, customer care initiatives and stakeholder projects. 14. Keep abreast of relevant planning legislation, complaints handling standards, information governance requirements (FOI/EIR/GDPR) and Council financial procedures. 12. Ensure performance targets and service objectives are met. 13. To provide on the job training and coaching to new members of the planning service and team; including planning technicians, junior planning officers and apprentices. 14. Internal contacts: These include planning officers, senior staff within own and other Directorates. 15. External contacts: Constant contact with members of the public, applicants, developers and their representatives, objectors, amenity groups, solicitors, personal search agents, plus other officers from public bodies and organisations. 16. To carry out the duties of the post with due regard to the Council�s relevant codes and procedures. 17. To carry out duties with due regard to the Council�s values and behaviours 18. All employees are required to participate in Appraisal and Performance Management processes and to undertake appropriate training and development, including mandatory induction training, identified to enhance their work. 19. Undertake other duties, commensurate with the grade, as may reasonably be required.