Permissions Officer
 

Position

The position of Permissions Officer(PO) is basically to get permissions from the various landowners and agencies to ensure that the club can hold an event on a suitable orienteering area. The position is normally held by one person who will obtain all the permissions for the club and reports to the committee and the club chairman.


Primary Responsibilities

Ensure that as soon as possible, after the committee and the fixtures secretary have agreed when we will hold an event and on which area, that we obtain permission to use that area. The process of organising and planning an event should only be done after permissions have been gained otherwise there is likely to be much effort wasted.
The Permissions Officer should also have an input into when the event can be held as some areas are restricted by wildlife/shooting etc concerns.
Initially the PO should check the Areas File (this gives a resume of each area and the contacts) to see what problems there might be.
The process of gaining permissions normally involves writing / emailing the various landowners and agencies such as Natural England to ask for permission. This may involve agreement on fees( although the chairman needs to be involved) and negotiation as to moving cattle / restrictions on access / car parking restrictions / felling areas / avoiding nesting birds/ butterfly avoidance etc.
The permissions officer may need to visit the landowner / farmer to negotiate and reassure the person.
The restrictions should be passed on to the organiser and planner so that they can work within these parameters.
The PO may be required further in the process to clarify problems especially as it is likely that the PO has built up a rapport with say the farmer.
Once the event has been completed the PO needs to liase with the planner & organiser to see if the Areas File needs to be updated.

Personal Specification

The PO needs to be methodical and tenacious, in what may be regarded as a less glamorous position but one which is of upmost importance to the sport of Orienteering.
 

Last Updated : 07.10.09