New Chief Officer for Planning and Environment Department 2006

28 March 2006

The new Chief Officer of Jersey’s Planning and Environment Department is a professional planner with multi-national experience, currently working for Southampton City Council.

51-year-old Paul Nichols was one of 15 applicants for the post, which has a salary in a range up to £104,000 a year. He has a wide range of senior management experience in the private and public sectors; he worked for the Audit Commission as a Strategic Policy Adviser (Environment), and in a previous role with developers Halcrow, he worked on projects in Cairo, Dubai, Malta Curacao, Jamaica and London. He was also the town planner for the government of Bermuda.

In his current role as Head of Planning and Sustainability in Southampton City Council, Mr Nichols manages 72 staff and an annual budget of £3.7 million. He is responsible for planning, development control, building control and enforcement services, and sustainability.

When Mr Nichols joins the Planning and Environment Department in June, he will be responsible for leading a department based at three sites, with 133 staff and an annual budget of more than £5 million. Planning and Environment’s main responsibilities are planning policy, development and building control, environmental management and environmental protection. As Chief Officer of the department, Mr Nichols will represent the Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen and be accountable to the Chief Executive to the Council of Ministers, Bill Ogley. He will also be a member of States Corporate Management Board.

Senator Cohen said ‘The role of Chief Officer of the Planning and Environment Department is crucial to the future of Jersey’s natural and built landscape. The decisions made by the department frame the Jersey we will leave for the next generation. The department has to balance the requirements for homes and business growth with an obligation to protect our environment and historic buildings. The role of Chief Officer will be key in maintaining Jersey as a ‘special place’.’

Senator Cohen also paid tribute to the hard work and exceptional skill with which the current Chief Officer, John Richardson, has led the department during the move to ministerial government. Mr Richardson has been responsible for leading both the Planning and Environment and Transport and Technical Services Departments (TTS) over this period. The combined role was established as part of the transition to ministerial government to help resolve a number of cross-departmental issues that existed between Planning and Environment and Public Services. These have been resolved by Mr Richardson and both departments now have clear areas of accountability. Once Mr Nichols is place, Mr Richardson will be responsible for TTS alone.

Brian Curtis of the Appointments Commission chaired the interview panel. Other members were the Minister for Planning and Environment, Senator Freddie Cohen, Chief Executive to the Council of Ministers, Bill Ogley, the current Chief Officer of the Planning and Environment Department, John Richardson, and the Director of Human Resources, Ian Crich.