Wokingham Borough Council

Tree Officer

Grades: 7 - 8: £30,095 - £38,553 pa

Location: Shute End, Wokingham/Home Working

Contract: Permanent, Full Time, (37 hours per week).

Closing Date: 1st July 2022 at 23:00

Interview: 28th July 2022

References: 712434 / 712435

Tree Officers

Wokingham Borough seeks two passionate, well-organised Tree Officers for our committed Trees and Landscape Team. You will be self-reliant and a good communicator, working with other professionals to conserve and protect the borough’s trees, whilst helping achieve challenging government housing targets.

The council is producing a new Local Plan, strategic assessment of Valued Landscapes and a Tree Strategy. Trees and woodlands are key features of local landscapes, and the role of Tree Officer is therefore important.

Wokingham

The Borough has a diverse landscape stretching from the Chilterns chalk hills around Henley to the sandy ridges of the old Royal Forest at Finchampstead. From the River Thames to the growing towns of Wokingham and Bracknell.

There is mainline rail access at Wokingham Station and a cycle scheme and staff car parking at reasonable rates. Flexible working includes working from home for some of the week. There is a contributary pension scheme, and generous leave entitlement rising with five-year’s service. WBC is committed to continuing professional development and subsidises professional subscriptions.

Main duties

• Conserve and enhance the borough’s arboricultural heritage
• Manage and develop the digital online TPO Register
• Determine tree works applications, and emergency notifications
• Assess and prioritise requests for new TPOs
• Make new TPOs
• Enforce unauthorised tree works, High Hedge and Hedgerow Regulations cases
• Be an expert witness in appeals
• Advise Managers, Landscape Architects, Planners, Enforcement and Customer Service Officers etc.
• Address dangerous trees

  
Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Relevant degree, or lower qualification with sound experience
• Experience of tree survey and assessment
• Knowledge of trees and tree protection law
• Good IT skills including Microsoft Office suite
• Effective communicator at all levels
• UK driving licence

   
Desirable:

• Experience as local government tree officer in UK
• Enforcement experience
• Training and experience in use of mapping software such are ArcGIS or similar
• Knowledge of high hedges and hedgerow protection law

   
To discuss, please contact: Chris Hannington chris.hannington@wokingham.gov.uk

WBC is committed to safeguarding, promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. WBC is an equal opportunities employer.

Apply Online here

WBC don’t accept CVs without a completed online application

Closing Date: 01/07/2022  Location: Wokingham, Berkshire