New top planner appears to lack qualifications 

In a controversial move, Oxfordshire County Council has decided that its top officer, leading its planning department does not require any formal planning qualifications. Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance (ORAA) is shocked at such a move and is concerned at the effect it could have on planning decisions.(1)

A spokesperson for ORAA said: “ Appointing a head of regulatory planning and enforcement not requiring planning qualifications sends a confusing message to planning staff. The County Council deems planning skills as unnecessary for the top job yet how will the person be able to grapple with and approve decisions with no understanding or training in planning? It could be a legal minefield if planning decisions are challenged.”(2)

Public good versus private interest

The County Council is not a private, commercial operator in planning. The function of its publicly funded planning authority is to take decisions that balance the notion of private gain against public good. It also decides planning applications for the County’s own developments like schools, libraries and roads. It is usually up against planners paid to represent their clients’ private interests who routinely make a feature of the string of professional planning qualifications after their names.

The County Council has told ORAA the qualifications of its new head of planning are “personal information” it is unable to disclose. Yet they are clearly of public interest, especially for a position paying a six figure salary.(3)

Industry standards

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Planning Inspectorate, which issues decisions on behalf of the Secretary of State, say it is the norm to disclose relevant planning qualifications of the person issuing planning decisions. Transparency around decision-makers’ credentials offers important benefits, including adherence to professional standards, mandatory continuous professional development, and the necessary expertise to make sound, evidence-based decisions aligned with policy. The Council’s stance runs counter to these industry norms and best practices. (4)

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Contact:   oraaoxfordshire@gmail.com, debbieeditorial@aol.com

Notes to Editors

1. Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance (ORAA) is a community alliance and campaign group opposed to unsustainable road development in Oxfordshire.

2. The head of planning has overall responsibility for the consideration and determination of planning applications as Local Planning Authority. Planning decisions can be contested by appeal to the Planning Inspectorate or by Judicial Review. The County’s planning decisions are issued in the name of its head of planning.

3. The County Council advertised the position of Head of Regulatory Planning and Enforcement with a salary in the £100,000 bracket internally at the end of last year. It decided not to require applicants to have a degree in planning, or membership of the RTPI or similar professional body, or relevant experience in a planning determination role with a strong understanding of UK planning law and regulations.

4. “The RTPI wishes to see that key decision-making is undertaken by a competent professional who is suitably qualified or experienced to do so. Chartered status as a member of the RTPI, or individuals working toward this, would be the most practicable way of ensuring that decision making is undertaken by a competent professional. This will improve quality of decision making and provide necessary safeguarding through adherence to the Code of Conduct that specifies standards of professional ethics and mandatory continuous professional development.”

The Planning Inspectorate deals with planning appeals, national infrastructure planning applications, examinations of local plans and other planning-related and specialist casework in England. It does not issue decisions on behalf of local authorities. 

Planning Inspectors require qualifications, often in related fields, to ensure they possess the necessary expertise to conduct impartial and objective assessments of planning applications and appeals, making sound decisions based on evidence and policy.

 Chartered or full membership of a relevant professional body such as RTPI, IEMA, RIBA or RICS is a mandatory pre-requisite for applying to become a Planning Inspector. Inspectors are also required to retain membership of a relevant professional body through continual professional development and abiding by the relevant body’s code of conduct.