Minister welcomes opportunities for planning staff

Environment Minister Edwin Poots today welcomed the announcement that 60 planners from the Planning Service will be redeployed to work with Land & Property Services.

The Department of the Environment has been working with colleagues in Land & Property Services (an executive agency within the Department of Finance and Personnel) to secure posts for 60 Professional Technical Officers in the Planning Service to work on a project for the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The work is part of a two year project to improve the system that is currently used to administer the Northern Ireland EU Single Farm Payment System and other aid schemes. It is anticipated that this work will commence in early September.

The Environment Minister said: "This is a particularly difficult time for the Planning Service but we are making every effort to ensure that staff awaiting redeployment are helped as quickly as possible. The news of these jobs in the Land & Property Services is very welcome and a sign of our ongoing commitment to redeploy the affected staff in the Planning Service.

"The Department is putting all its efforts into securing successful schemes to transfer or loan staff to other areas in order to keep these key skills within the wider Northern Ireland Civil Service; this remains our primary focus."

Finance Minister Sammy Wilson said: "I welcome the redeployment of staff from the Planning Service to this project. This is a good example of departments working corporately to ensure surplus staff across the NICS are found alternative positions suited to their skills as swiftly as possible."

Cynthia Smith, Chief Executive, Planning Service, said: "Today’s announcement shows the commitment of both the Department of the Environment and the wider government departments in addressing the redeployment need for Planning Service staff. It is particularly encouraging to see skilled staff moving to related posts. These posts provide an opportunity for continued professional development and for those who are members of Royal Town Planning Institute to work towards licentiateship and retain their accreditation."

The staff from Planning Service will be based in Belfast, Downpatrick and Omagh to take this work forward.

Notes to editors:

1. Staff will work in four teams of 15 staff with two teams in Belfast and one in Downpatrick and one in Omagh.
2. Staff will initially be selected by an expression of interest circular.
3. It is hoped that the Belfast teams will be in place from 6 September with the rural teams from mid-September.
4. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of hours, please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.