The Forum will be chaired by MIKE HYDE.

MICHAEL HYDE is a Chartered Town Planner with over 30 years’ experience, primarily in Development Management and Planning Enforcement. He has previously worked in England and Scotland, for two National Park Authorities and a District Council, but now runs his own Independent Planning Consultancy (MH Planning Associates). Prior to becoming a Planner he has had a varied career, and other professional experience that he can draw on includes structural and civil engineering, historic buildings and nature conservation, surveying and architecture. Whilst now on the ‘dark side’ he can still often be found lending Local Planning Authorities an enforcement hand as a Contractor, when he's not camping in a one man tent on top of a mountain. 

As enforcement can become particularly litigious it is vital that we all keep up to date with recent case law. The day will therefore begin with a Legal Update given by solicitor IZINDI VISAGIE. Izindi founded Ivy Legal in response to a need for more effective planning enforcement, using her local government, third sector and business experience. Ivy Legal act on behalf of many local authorities and understand how important effective planning enforcement is.  Outside normal life Izindi enjoys sailing and travel adventures.

OLIVIA STAPLEFORD is the chair of NAPE and has worked in planning enforcement for over 10 years. She currently works for a large unitary authority, managing a team of officers who work on cases including planning breaches, minerals and waste matters and monitoring of large scale waste consents across Buckinghamshire. She will be presenting a case study which deals with planning units, immunity periods, mixed uses and what makes a change of use material. All of these matters are imperative to get right in the drafting of a notice and presentation of facts at appeal. Olivia will talk you through how the case progressed from when it was first reported to the Council, to the appeal decision issued this year.

Three parallel sessions will be run once before and once after lunch enabling participants to attend two out of the three sessions but in a smaller, more informal group. 

RACHEL MCKENZIE is a Planning Enforcement Officer with East Cambridgeshire District Council. She started a new career in planning enforcement almost 4 1/2 years ago after leaving the police service. The authority includes the city of Ely and is a predominantly rural area. She will be discussing advertisements, including the relevant regulations and requirements for consent, as well as presenting a case study relating to how the Council approached taking action on an unusual addition to a public house within Ely Conservation area.  Rachel's session will cover 'Advertisements'.

PETER WHITE is a Planning Enforcement Officer for North Kesteven District Council, within the County of Lincolnshire. Experience within an adjacent district within the County, has shown that the rural setting is a hotbed for unauthorised gypsy and traveller encampments. Having worked on several G&T cases in his relatively short career in planning enforcement, he has been exposed to both acceptable and unacceptable sites, and to people who are simply looking for a place to call their home.  His session with cover Expectations and Experiences: Gypsy and Traveller sites.

AIDAN MEREDITH is a Senior Planning Enforcement Officer with Dorset Council. Prior to that, he worked for the Police for 14-years up to the rank of Inspector and has a wealth of experience of conducting investigations, presenting them at Criminal Court and Case Directing prosecution files as a Gatekeeper for the CPS. Outside of work Aidan is a keen Spearfisherman, Forager & Newcastle United fan.   Aidan's session will be looking at ‘Evidential Recording Standards for Enforcement Cases & Prosecutions’. 

The afternoon plenary session will be given by  CLAIRE SHERRATT.  Claire joined the Planning Inspectorate 2002, having previously worked in various local planning authorities. As well as determining planning, enforcement and lawful development certificate appeals, she has examined a number of development plans. For a number of years now, she been an Inspector Manager, managing a group of Inspectors doing predominantly enforcement appeals as well as managing a caseload of more complex appeals herself. However, for the past year she has taken on the role as the Operations Lead overseeing the enforcement area of the Inspectorate more generally, including the administrative support team.  The topic of this session will be 'Achieving a more streamlined and efficient appeals service for enforcement appeals'.