Membership of the POS

Can you afford not to be a part of the Planning Officers Society?

A member of the Planning Officers Society gets:

• A monthly e-bulletin to keep you up to date on key planning and Society matters
• Access to draft responses by the Society to Government consultation documents
• An opportunity to participate in Committees, topic forums and/or regional discussions and meetings
• An opportunity to network with your peers and Government officials
• An opportunity to participate in study visits and occasional tours

Please read below to see if you are eligible for membership.

Current fee rates are also shown below.

Planning Officers Society Membership Criteria

1.   Individual Membership

1.1   Full membership of the Society shall be open to any person who is working within a local authority or other public sector organisation associated with responsibility for delivering or supporting a planning function in the local government sector, and holds a senior position within that organisation.

1.2   The person must be a Chartered Town Planner or hold a recognised planning or related qualification which is deemed to be relevant to the Board of Directors of the Society, or responsible for all or part of the planning function within the organisation.

1.3  Where a member becomes unemployed for a significant period or suffers financial hardship they may apply for a reduced subscription rate.

2.   Corporate Membership

2.1   Any organisation which is responsible for any statutory planning function is eligible for Corporate Membership of the Society. Corporate membership entitles the organisation to nominate members of the Society who shall meet the criteria for individual membership of the Society.

3.   Associate Membership

3.1   Any member, be they an individual or as part of a corporate membership, who no longer meets the criteria for individual membership, but continues to be active within the field of planning may elect to become an Associate Member of the Society, and may participate in the affairs of the Society and vote at the Society's meetings.

4.   Corporate Associate Membership

4.1   Any public sector organisation involved in the planning process not otherwise eligible for Corporate membership is eligible for Corporate Associate Membership of the Society, and is entitled to nominate associate members of the Society on the same terms as individual Associate Members.

5. Academic Associate Membership

5.1 Any recognised planning school is eligible for Academic Associate Membership, and is entitled to nominate associate members of the Society on the same terms as individual Associate Members.

6.   Retired Membership

6.1   On retiring and no longer working in planning, members may elect to become a Retired Member of the Society and continue to participate in the affairs of the Society and vote at Society's meetings.

7.   Conditions

7.1   A member of the Society shall at all times abide by the Rules of the Society, which shall include the payment of a subscription to belong to the Society. Membership shall cease on the expiry of the period covered by any subscription paid.

8.   Subscription Rates

8.1   Subscription rates shall be determined annually by the Society and become payable on receipt of invoice. Rates are as shown in the table below: 

• The following rates were agreed by the Board of Trustees of Planning Officers Society on 16 November 2012 for the subscription year commencing 1 July 2013: