Debra Inston

• Lead and manage Development Management teams, overseeing workloads, performance, quality, risk, and service delivery across the authority.
• Allocate, prioritise, and coordinate development management work within the team and, where required, across the wider Development Management service.
• Manage staff performance through regular 1:1s, team meetings, appraisals, and ongoing support for professional development and wellbeing.
• Use performance data to proactively manage resources and maintain service standards within a high‑pressure and politically sensitive environment.
• Coordinate and oversee planning activity across complex and high‑profile cases, ensuring effective handling of applications and consistency in decision‑making.
• Review, check, and sign off delegated planning decisions, decision notices, committee reports, and appeal statements in line with relevant legislation, regulations, and procedures.
• Act as Lead Officer at Planning Committee, presenting reports, advising on risk, and responding to technical and professional challenge.
• Provide clear, accurate, and robust planning advice to Members, senior officers, Directors, and Heads of Service on applications, appeals, and other Development Management matters.
• Liaise closely with Members and senior stakeholders on high‑risk, high‑profile, and politically sensitive development proposals.
• Work collaboratively with Development Management managers to ensure consistent application of planning policies, practices, and protocols.
• Liaise with internal teams, departments, and specialist officers to deliver coordinated responses to development control, spatial planning, and community engagement matters.
• Assist in the development and implementation of service improvements and strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of planning services.
• Handle and respond to complaints in accordance with the Council’s complaints procedure.
• Respond to requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

As above

• Line Manage the Senior Conservation and Design Officer
• Process planning applications (including major complex applications) and listed building consent applications.
• Provide pre-application advice and prepare PPA's.
• Provide consultation responses to members of development management team on all matters related to heritage and design.
• Prepare delegated reports and committee reports, present at committee, and regularly liaise with elected Members.
• Prepare evidence and represent the Council at informal hearings and public inquiries (as both planning officer and expert heritage witness).
• Advise enforcement staff on breaches of planning control, prepare statements of expediency, and schedule of works for S215, Repair and Urgent Works Notices.
• Prepared Conservation Area Appraisals (Peasemore, and Streatley CAA) and currently facilitate the production of CAA's by local community groups and Parish Council's.
• Prepare and present reports to the Planning Advisory Group.
• Maintain current knowledge of legislation (TCPA and P(LBCA)A), national policies and guidance (NPPF, NPPG, Heritage and Design guidance etc.), and planning case law.
• Helped draft heritage and design planning policies for the emerging local plan.
• Achieve planning service time and quality targets.
• Commissioning external consultants to assess viability appraisals and enabling development proposals.
• Assisting the Planning Policy Manager in preparing a tender to provide consultancy services towards the delivery of a Conservation Area Appraisal for Newbury Town Centre, and help brief and monitor the selected external consultants during delivery of the project.