THE PLANNING INSPECTORATE

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR APPLICANTS

(These notes are not a contract of employment)

The Planning Inspectorate is registered under the Data Protection Act to hold personal data supplied by you

CONTENTS

1. General Information

2. Application and Selection Procedure

3. Hours of Work, Annual Leave and Other Benefits

4. Returning your Application

5. Complaints

If you require this information in large print, Braille or on audiotape please contact us on telephone number 0303 444 5825

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) is an in the Office of the Department for Communities and Local Government and the National Assembly for Wales.

Our mission for the Inspectorate is to deliver an outstanding national planning and appeals service which enjoys the confidence and respect of Ministers, the public and all stakeholders

The work of the Planning Inspectorate includes national infrastructure planning under the process as amended by the Localism Act 2011; processing planning and enforcement appeals; holding examinations into local plans and community infrastructure levy charging schedules. The Inspectorate also deals with a wide variety of other planning related casework including listed building consent appeals, advertisement appeals, and reporting on planning applications called in for decision by the Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) or, in Wales, Welsh Ministers.

Our headquarters are based in , and there is an office in dealing with casework arising in Wales.

Our Planning Inspectors are home, based, conducting public inquiries and carrying out site visits into a wide range of matters under town and country planning and allied legislation. We also offer work to Inspectors on a contract basis.

For more information on the work we do visit our web-site at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planninginspectorate

1 2. APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE

Please complete the application form and the associated documents. On the application form you must demonstrate in Section 9 that you meet the essential criteria as set out in the job description/person specification under ‘Knowledge, Skills and Experience’.

We have a competence-based selection process, therefore, as well as assessing your knowledge, skills and experience, you will also be asked to demonstrate some or all of the competencies and key indicators set out in the job description/person specification. You are asked to provide specific examples of how you meet the competencies listed under Section 10 ‘Competencies’ on the application form.

Please pay attention to any word restrictions on the application form, as any words exceeding the limit will not be considered as part of the assessment.

 Be precise in setting out your examples in terms of what you did and the part you played in the activities you describe. Explain what you did and how you did it.  Describe the outcome or result of your actions.  Give recent examples for the competency – probably from the last 2-3 years.  Where possible, use examples from the work place. However, you may give examples from outside work.  If possible, give different examples for each competency and ensure your examples are relevant and strong.  Be concise. Too much information makes it difficult for the panel to assess your application and may count against you.  Use clear language, and avoid jargon.

A useful guide might be S.T.A.R:

Specific – give a specific example. Task - briefly describe the task/objective etc. Action – tell us what action you took. Results – describe what results were achieved.

Your examples may be referred to at interview and you may be asked to expand further on some of them. For some posts you will not be assessed on all the competencies set out on the job description at application stage however you should be prepared for questions on all competencies at interview.

Candidates who meet the essential criteria for the post as specified on the job description will be invited to interview based on merit.

Conflict of interest

You are asked to indicate on the application form if you are related to (or know personally) any member of the Planning Inspectorate. This is to ensure that anyone you know is not directly involved in the assessment of your application.

Disabled candidates

As a two-ticks employer, we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for any disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the position as outlined in the Job Description/Person Specification. If you consider yourself disabled and wish to take 2 advantage of this opportunity, please indicate this at the appropriate section on the application form.

If you have any specific needs, please contact us to discuss how we can help you.

Security checks

Any successful appointment will be subject to health and satisfactory security checks. These will cover aspects of Identity, Nationality, Employment history and Criminal record.

In general, we can accept applications for posts only from British or Commonwealth citizens, British Protected persons, citizens of the Irish Republic, or EU Nationals. If you do not fall within our nationality requirements, your application will be deemed invalid.

If you are invited to interview you will need to produce proof of your identity by providing the following:

 a full 10-year passport or two of the following: o British driving licence; o P45; o birth certificate; or o recent proof of residence (utilities bill).

Please complete the forms about Nationality status and Criminal record declaration included as part of the vacancy forms/guidance and return with your application.

With regard to Employment history, we will wish to verify the information you give us, or Academic history if you have not worked. We will therefore approach your current or last employer, or academic institution to verify your circumstances for the past 3 years. If you were previously self-employed, we will approach HM Revenue and Customs, and/or a professional who was connected with your business. By signing the declaration at the end of the application form, you will be giving us consent to approach the Employer, Academic institution, HM Revenue and Customs, or other party to verify your previous employment or academic history for the last 3 years.

Under the Data Protection Act (1998) the information you provide us will be defined as ‘personal data’ as defined by the Act. It will be supplied to the appropriate HR or Security authority exclusively for the purpose of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. The HR or Security authority must protect the information provided and ensure that it is not passed to anyone who is not authorised to see it.

3. Hours of Work, Annual Leave and Other Benefits

Hours of work and annual leave

Inspectorate staff normally work a 5-day week of 42 hours, which includes a daily 1-hour lunch break. A flexible working hours scheme is available.

The current annual leave allowance is 30 days (pro rata for part time staff). In addition Inspectorate staff are entitled to 10½ days public & privilege holidays.

3 Part time working

We welcome applications from candidates who wish to work on a part time basis. If you are successful we will do our best to accommodate the working pattern you require, although we cannot guarantee this.

Although we operate a flexible working hours scheme it would help if you could indicate your preferred working pattern on the application form.

Childcare vouchers

In conjunction with Computershare Voucher Services, we offer a childcare voucher scheme. Childcare Vouchers can be used to pay for most forms of childcare including nurseries, a childminder, after school schemes, and holiday schemes. More information can be found on their website: www.computersharevoucherservices.com

Other benefits

The Planning Inspectorate’s Bristol office is based in Temple Quay House. This is a couple of minutes walk from Temple Meads railway station. Broadmead shopping centre and Cabot Circus are within easy reach.

Interest free bus/train season ticket loans are available after you have completed 2- month’s service. Loans are also available for bicycle purchase.

Equality

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 in those with whom we come into contact. Also we believe that we are all responsible for ensuring that the highest principles of equal opportunities policy are put into effect.

As an equal opportunities organisation we endeavour not to discriminate between people on grounds of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation.

We would be grateful if you could complete and return to us the Equality and Diversity Monitoring form.

4 4. RETURNING YOUR APPLICATION

Please complete ALL forms. Please do not enclose a CV. Please complete and return the form electronically, if possible.

Completed application forms must be returned by the advertised closing date to the following address:

Email: [email protected]

The Planning Inspectorate Recruitment Team Room 4/20, Hawk Wing Temple Quay House 2 The Square Bristol BS1 6PN

Telephone: 0303 444 5825 Fax: 0117 372 8167

We will acknowledge receipt of your application. If you have not received this within a week of submitting your application, please contact us.

5. COMPLAINTS

The Planning Inspectorate’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles which can be found at www.civilservicecommission.org.uk

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the HR Recruitment Manager, Planning Inspectorate, Room 4/20, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, BRISTOL BS1 6PN in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission.

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