Noise and Nuisance Officer

Full Vacancy Description

Job                                         Noise & Nuisance Officer

Job Description:

To ensure that the impact from noise and nuisance on residents and others within the Borough is controlled using appropriate enforcement powers, negotiation and practical knowledge both during office hours and as part of an out-of-hours 7 day a week service operation.

About the Role:

You will need:

Together with the other Environmental Health Officers to oversee and manage the response and investigation / resolution, within published service standards / performance targets, of complaints / service requests relating primarily to noise and nuisance, but also complaints relating to other areas within the Environment Department remit as necessary. 

To the monitor / manage follow up administration and revisit actions where informal and formal action has been taken, checking works in progress, ensuring that the necessary works etc. have been properly executed in accordance with good practice.

To identify those cases where notices have not been complied with and delegate / take appropriate enforcement action.

To prepare and serve legal notices under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Control of Pollution Act 1974 and any other legislation that is appropriate to secure the main purpose of the post, including any enforcement action in respect of these when necessary.

To prepare and assist the instigation of all necessary legal action in line with Council policy, including the preparation and presentation of evidence at Court and Tribunals.

To respond to correspondence and maintain up to date records on the Borough’s computer systems, officer notebooks / Service Request Forms, records of visits made, and action taken to ensure a complete record of cases is maintained in the event of later enquiries, complaints or subsequent legal action.

To act as a Professional Witness at Court / Inquiries / Members Panels.

To respond to consultations, statutory applications, noise reports effectively.

To respond to complaints about the Service, Members enquiries and Freedom of Information requests.

To liaise and work in collaboration with other internal and external partner agencies, including the Law Enforcement Team to achieve common objectives for those cases which are multi-facetted. 

About you

Knowledge and skills

Be able to respond effectively to a high volume of complaints with appropriate prioritisation whilst maintaining excellent customer care.

Be able to coordinate the Service’s shift rota to ensure adequate officer cover is provided to maintain the service to its advertised provision.

Be able to investigate or resolve cases through enforcement, negotiation or referral to appropriate partners.

Be able to competently give advice to the general public and commercial undertakings on Noise and Nuisance / Environmental Health matters relating to premises in the Borough.

Lead on Service development matters including work processes, systems and compliance with Regulatory requirements.

Lead on / contribute to projects and initiatives in relation to the work of the Noise and Nuisance Service and, where appropriate, the rest of the Environment Department / Council as a whole.

Keep abreast of appropriate legal and technical developments in Noise and Nuisance and relevant areas of Environmental Health.

To prepare detailed reports relating to case work and wider noise and nuisance issues and attend internal and external meetings and Committees of the Council when required.

To make rational and evidence-based decisions in the field relative to the post and specific team functions.

To lead in any operation that involves the seizing of goods / equipment, interviewing of offenders and preparation of legal notices and other documents which may be required as part of a prosecution/civil action.

To be able to respond to consultations and represent the Service on Planning and Licensing applications (scrutinise, process and comment on statutory applications, planning applications and schemes including pre-application / submission of details applications from outside bodies and other council departments for environmental guidance, including any assessment / comments on associated supporting documentation such as noise reports etc).

Undertake noise and vibration monitoring assessments, analyse and evaluate the results in accordance with relevant British Standards and report on findings in suitable format.

Assist / lead on works in default (including specifications, tenders, contract supervision, variations).

Lead on an area of service development or service delivery reporting outcomes to senior management. 

To undertake the training and mentoring of staff (including students from other authorities and other professionals) and be responsible for the supervision of students and other trainees as required.

Participate in the training of businesses, health promotion initiatives and the staff training programmes as required.

As the Council moves towards further flexible ways of working be prepared to embrace different methods of working for example flexibility about working hours.

Undertake Continuous Professional Development to maintain competency in all disciplines for which the postholder is qualified.

Be prepared to work outside of normal office hours as part of the Noise and Nuisance Service’s out-of-hours 7 days a week shift pattern on an as-and-when required basis.  

Undertake any other duties or functions of a similar nature appropriate to the post / grade as directed by Managers and Elected Members.

Hold a full, valid, UK driving license. 

Corporate requirements:

Civil and Other Emergencies

To support the Council’s role in planning for and responding to civil and council emergencies using skills/expertise of the post holder, and in accordance with council emergency procedures. To provide emergency contact details for the purposes of emergency and service continuity plans. To ensure that you have read your Service’s business continuity plan and keep abreast of any updates, so that you know what to do, if the plan is activated. To participate in any testing of emergency plans, as directed and take an active role in making suggestions to improve team plans.

Digital

To use the Council’s office-based and mobile IT services for the input, access and transmission of information using the appropriate level of information security and classification through the use of electronic mail, diaries, word-processing, spreadsheets and databases as well as any specific job-related applications as required to carry out the duties of the post.

 Information Management

To comply with information rights legislation and the Council’s data quality and information management standards by applying information management related policies.

To report instances of non-compliance, errors, omissions or inadequacies in procedures to the business unit manager.

Health and Safety

To take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and any other person(s) who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, in accordance with the Health & Safety legislation.

To co-operate with the Council insofar as is necessary to enable it to comply with its duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

Agile working

Work under the Council’s Agile working policy and timesheet to assist in providing value for money to clients.