Carrington West are assisting their local authority client based in Essex in the search for a Senior Planning Officer on a 3 month rolling contract basis. Key Responsibility: To support the Development Management Manager in leading the teams overall performance ensuring all statutory targets and any locally set targets are met. Key Accountabilities: To contribute towards the delivery a high quality, customer focused Planning and Implementation department with high standards of advice and support, resolving cases of varying complexities in Development Management. Ensure compliance with statutory regulations, legislation, professional codes of practice and adherence to Council policy. Deliver projects, interventions and initiatives and develop policies in line with corporate and business plans. To deal effectively and efficiently with general enquiries, pre-applications, planning applications and planning appeals ensuring cases are managed and completed at the appropriate level of skillset. Ensure and develop appropriate levels of quality and specialist knowledge with other Planning and Implementation colleagues. Deliver customer-focused specialist advice and services in Development Management, keeping up to date with current and emerging legislation, best practice and policy to ensure continuous development and improvement in services. Manage complex and/or contentious planning applications, processes and compliance, regulations and legislation, acting as the single poi