FOI release

FOI request

Case reference FOI2026/00095

Received 24 January 2026

Published 6 February 2026

Request

I am writing with the following requests for information:

1. What is the established staffing level of the planning department at full capacity (FTE)?

2. What is the headcount in each of the following seniority categories at full capacity?

a. Head of Service / Director

b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

c. Senior Planner

d. Planning Officer

e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

f. Technical / Administrative staff

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

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

b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

c. Senior Planner

d. Planning Officer

e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

f. Technical / Administrative staff

5. As at 31 March 2025, how many staff were:

a. Directly employed

b. Agency workers

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

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

8. What was the average planning department headcount (FTE) in the following financial years:

a. 2017/18

b. 2019/20

c. 2021/22

9. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, how many planning department staff:

a. Left the department

b. Were recruited into the department

10. Of those recruited during this period, how many were appointed:

a. To permanent roles

b. To fixed-term contract roles

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

b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

c. Senior Planner

d. Planning Officer

e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

f. Technical / Administrative staff

Response

  1. What is the established staffing level of the planning department at full capacity (FTE)?

33.51

  1. What is the headcount in each of the following seniority categories at full capacity?
    a. Head of Service / Director

One


b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

Five


c. Senior Planner

Three


d. Planning Officer

Eight

 

e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

Three


f. Technical / Administrative staff

Four

 

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

29.03

  1. As at 31 March 2025, how many planning department staff were in each of the following seniority categories (headcount):
    What is the headcount in each of the following seniority categories at full capacity?


a. Head of Service / Director

One


b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

Six


c. Senior Planner

Five


d. Planning Officer

10

 

e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

Three


f. Technical / Administrative staff

Three

 

  1. As at 31 March 2025, how many staff were:
    a. Directly employed

33

b. Agency workers

None

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

NA

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

N/a

  1. What was the average planning department headcount (FTE) in the following financial years:
    a. 2017/18

22.88

b. 2019/20

25.86


c. 2021/22

 

17.2

 

  1. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, how many planning department staff:
    a. Left the department

2

b. Were recruited into the department

Of those recruited during this period, how many were appointed:
a. To permanent roles

4


b. To fixed-term contract roles

 

0

 

  1. 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


b. Team Leader / Principal Planner

0


c. Senior Planner

0


d. Planning Officer

0

 
e. Graduate / Assistant Planner

0


f. Technical / Administrative staff

0

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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