Assistant Planning Policy Officer Review

Item: Assistant Planning Policy Officer at South Kesteven District Council
Rating: 4.8
Author: Anonymous

at South Kesteven District Council

Degree Apprenticeship

Government

Grantham

Review Submitted: April 2026

Overall Rating

4.8 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

4.5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4.8/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

4/5

Shaping the long-term development of an area. Responsible for preparing, implementing, and monitoring the Local Plan and other planning policy documents.
Purpose: To develop and deliver the council’s planning policy framework, ensuring sustainable growth and managing land use in accordance with national and local strategies.
Key Responsibilities:Local Plan Development: Assist with the preparation, consultation, and examination of the Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs).
Evidence Gathering: Undertake research to inform policy.
Advice & Representation: Provide planning policy advice to developers, residents, councillors, and other council departments.
Neighbourhood Planning: Support local communities and parish councils in producing Neighbourhood Plans.
Public Consultation: Plan and manage community engagement activities for policy document development.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I really enjoy my work and role

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

Evidence Gathering: Researching site potentials, planning history to inform planning policy formulation. Policy Evaluation: Assessing the success and impact of past policies and evaluating new policy proposals
GIS Mapping (Geographic Information Systems)
Planning Legislation: Acquiring a working knowledge of national planning policies, local plan-making processes, and environmental regulations.Statutory Procedures: Learning the formal, legal procedures required to prepare, review, and adopt planning policy documents,
Drafting Reports & Policies: Preparing technical reports, policy briefs, and guidance documents, sometimes in preparation for Public Examination.Public Consultation: Organising and running public engagement events, managing consultations with stakeholders, and handling enquiries from the public and developers.Stakeholder Liaison: Building relationships with council members, external agencies, community groups, and planning agents
Project Management and Organisation Time Management & Prioritisation: Working under pressure to meet strict, often statutory, deadlines for policy production.Project Support: Supporting senior officers in managing complex planning projects, including coordinating research across multiple council departments

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

4/5

Regular meetings with manager including meetings with mentor from University

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

Work are very supportive with working requirements and workload when assignment are due.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

Supported well

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

The apprenticeship programme ties in well with work requirements. It helps me understand legal aspects and then able to put this into practice.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

5/5

Yes, there are plenty of activities to be social. I have joined regular badminton sessions with work colleagues.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend South Kesteven District Council to a friend?

Yes

Why?

This is a great place to work surrounded by great people. I moved jobs after being in a job for 8 years and this was daunting at the start. The people have made me feel welcome. Would highly reccomend.