1. What is the established staffing level of the planning department at full capacity (FTE)?
Start Feb 2026 – includes permanent, FTC, Seconded in, Apprentice posts; excludes agency, partner, casual, volunteer, student
76.71 FTE

2. What is the headcount in each of the following seniority categories at full capacity?
a) Head of Service / Director: 1 FTE equivalent
b) Team Leader / Principal Planner: 25 FTE equivalent
c) Senior Planner: 8.6 FTE equivalent
d) Planning Officer: 10 FTE equivalent
e) Graduate / Assistant Planner: 3 FTE equivalent
f) Technical / Administrative staff: 12.91 FTE equivalent

3. What was the average staff headcount (FTE) of the planning department during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025?
72.55 FTE

4. As at 31 March 2025, how many planning department staff were in each of the following seniority categories (headcount):
a) Head of Service / Director: 4 FTE equivalent
b) Team Leader / Principal Planner: 14 FTE equivalent
c) Senior Planner: 5.6 FTE equivalent
d) Planning Officer: 15 FTE equivalent
e) Graduate / Assistant Planner: 3 FTE equivalent
f) Technical / Administrative staff: 10.91 FTE equivalent

5. As at 31 March 2025, how many staff were:
a) Directly employed: 73
b) Agency workers: 3

6. During the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, what was the average length of engagement of agency workers (weeks)?
65 weeks

7. What was the total expenditure (£) on agency planning staff between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025?
£165,272.92

8. What was the average planning department headcount (FTE) in the following financial years:
a) 2017/18: not available due to change in structure
b) 2019/20: not available due to change in structure
c) 2021/22: 8 FTE start, 9 FTE end, average 8 FTE

9. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, how many planning department staff:
a) Left the department: 12 (of which 8 end FTC)
b) Were recruited into the department: 3

10. Of those recruited during this period, how many were appointed:
a) To permanent roles: 3
b) To fixed-term contract roles: 0

11. As at 31 March 2025, how many vacant planning department posts existed in each of the following seniority categories (headcount):
a) Head of Service / Director: 0 FTE equivalent
b) Team Leader / Principal Planner: 0 FTE equivalent
c) Senior Planner: 0 FTE equivalent
d) Planning Officer: 0 FTE equivalent
e) Graduate / Assistant Planner: 0 FTE equivalent
f) Technical / Administrative staff: 1 FTE equivalent