Town Planner

**Position Title**:Town Planner

**Position Number**:
**Directorate**:EPS

**Service**:Development & Building Services

**Location**:Katoomba

**Date
**Created/Updated**

**Position**
Band: 3 Level: 2 Grade: 1&2

**Classification**:
**POSITION PURPOSE / OBJECTIVE
To facilitate development that protects the environment and contributes to the character of the
Blue Mountains through the provision of development assessment and related services.

**RELATIONSHIPS
**Reports to**:(Position Title)**:Program Leader

**Report to: (Position Number)**

**Staff Responsibility**:Nil

**Key Internal Relationships**:Town** **Planners, Environmental Health & Building
Surveyors, Engineers, Environmental Scientists
Landscape Assessors, Technical Assistants and
Customer Service staff.

**Key External Relationships**:Residents and other members of the community;
Government authorities, applicants for
development, consultants, Council’s legal advisors.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
**Development assessment**
- Contribute to the protection of the environment and enhancement of the character of the

Defence of Land and Environment Court appeals may be required from time to time.
- The position may also rotate through or contribute to the following areas:
**Development advice**
- Provide verbal and written development advice to prospective applicants.

Page | 1

**Guiding Principles
- We act as one organisation responding to the changing needs of our LGA and community
- We are strategy led, driven by our Community Strategic Plan with clear priorities and focus
- We are service focused ' we continuously improve service provision and provide excellent

customer service
- We collaborate and work together to achieve our outcomes
- We ensure safety and well-being is at the centre of our organisation, operations and culture
- We are a financially sustainable organisation, living within our means, ensuring best value

resource allocation
These Guidelines complement the Council’s adopted Values of: Work Together; Work Safe
Home safe; Service Excellence; Value for Money; Trust and Respect; and, Supporting
Community

**Workplace Health & Safety**

Ensure compliance with WHS obligations and responsibilities as outlined in Councils policies
and procedures and under the relevant WHS legislation. These include but are not limited to
identifying potentially unsafe situations or work practices and notifying your Supervisor or
Manager (or the Health, Safety Manager/Area Safety Representative); never performing a task
that you believe is dangerous or for which you do not have the experience, or have not received
appropriate instructions and training or where the correct equipment to carry out the task safely
is not available; always work in a safe manner and in accordance with safety instructions,
where applicable; use the work equipment supplied for the job, in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions), and any personal protective equipment, which the Council deems
necessary and has provided; be safety aware and report any actions to your line manager
which will assist the Council to meet its legal workplace health and safety obligations. You
have the right to cease or direct cessation of unsafe work. In addition, you are required at all
times to comply with Councils Asbestos Management Plan and Policy.

**Compliance & Risk**

You are responsible for ensuring that you conduct your risk management responsibilities as
described in council's Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Policy and Procedure (the ERM
Framework) with the goal of ensuring that potential issues are identified and reported in a
timely manner.

In undertaking your work should you identify contaminated land or potentially contaminated
land, including but not limited to Asbestos contamination you are required to notify your
supervisor immediately.

**COMMUNICATION
The person will communicate with a wide range of people in a variety of internal and external
settings. The person will receive, interpret, and act upon written and verbal information and
provide a response in both written and verbal forms. The person will need to be able to carry
out negotiations and make representations in areas of functional responsibility. The role will
require persons to represent and clearly articulate Council’s position in negotiations and
discussions with external parties and organisations.

Page | 2

**JUDGEMENT & PROBLEM SOLVING**

**Grade 1**
The person in this position will need to develop and review workflow procedures to ensure the
timely, accurate and consistent delivery of tasks associated with the functional areas of the
position. This will involve the person having a sound knowledge of relevant legislation, Council
policies and the ability to resolve problems within clearly defined guidelines. The person will
implement and review procedures and provide input and advice to the Branch and the
Directorate within the functional area of responsibility.

**Grade 2**
Positions have a high level