Purpose

A report was taken to Cabinet on 18.07.23
(after earlier reports to SLT and SLT PH) outlining the challenges
the Planning Enforcement team faces, the temporary measures we have
had to introduce in response to the rising pressures for action,
and the resource request to improve the situation, and ultimately
bring live enforcement caseload below 300 cases.
 
It was agreed at Cabinet that an additional
resource up to a maximum of £109,890 be allocated to Planning
Enforcement from reserves funding. This resource was to provide 16
months of agency Planning Enforcement Officers (with the intention
of employing one Agency staff for 10 months and the second for 6
months).
 
This reserves funding having been exhausted;
the Head of Development Management looked at continuing the
additional Planning Enforcement resource by not filling a Planning
Officer vacancy in 2024/25.
 
The cost of procuring Victor Unuigbe’s
services will have exceeded £75,000 by mid-January 2025 and
therefore additional approvals are required to extend
Victor’s contract. Indeed, as Victor was earlier recruited to
fill a Planning Officer vacancy (prior to his move across to
Planning Enforcement), the total value of the contract with Oyster
would be £156,006.

Decision

A report was taken to Cabinet on 18.07.23
(after earlier reports to SLT and SLT PH) outlining the challenges
the Planning Enforcement team faces, the temporary measures we have
had to introduce in response to the rising pressures for action,
and the resource request to improve the situation, and ultimately
bring live enforcement caseload below 300 cases.
 
It was agreed at Cabinet that an additional
resource up to a maximum of £109,890 be allocated to Planning
Enforcement from reserves funding. This resource was to provide 16
months of agency Planning Enforcement Officers (with the intention
of employing one Agency staff for 10 months and the second for 6
months).
 
This reserves funding having been exhausted;
the Head of Development Management looked at continuing the
additional Planning Enforcement resource by not filling a Planning
Officer vacancy in 2024/25.
 
The cost of procuring Victor Unuigbe’s
services will have exceeded £75,000 by mid-January 2025 and
therefore additional approvals are required to extend
Victor’s contract. Indeed, as Victor was earlier recruited to
fill a Planning Officer vacancy (prior to his move across to
Planning Enforcement), the total value of the contract with Oyster
would be £156,006.