A couple of months ago Sam Stafford saw that Shaun Knights at Preston City Council and national vice chair of the Young Planning Officers Society (POS) had posted on LinkedIn encouraging nominations for POS’ ‘Emerging Planner Award’ (EPA).
“I’ve already seen some genuinely impressive submissions that show the amazing day‑to‑day work young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs”, Shaun wrote.
Sam was interested in the amazing day‑to‑day work that young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs, and thought that 50 Shades listeners would be too.
He sent Shaun a message asking if he and his Young POS colleagues would be interested in making an episode of the podcast with some of the planners that were subsequently short-listed for the award. He was, and some of them were, and so they put this together ahead of and after the POS Conference in Nottingham at which the winner of the award was announced.
Young POS is a network for public sector planners with less than ten years post qualification experience and it provides opportunities for planners to support one another through the sharing of experience, learning and knowledge.
Developed by Young POS and supported by the Society’s Rising Star bursaries, the EPA is an initiative created by young planners for young planners with 2026 marking its inaugural year. The award celebrates the everyday achievements of young public sector planners, whose work often lacks the visibility and recognition it deserves. It shines a light on the valuable contributions these planners make to practice, communities and place-making across England.
The episode that Shaun and friends have put together is in four parts.
First you will hear Shaun and Imogen Hopkin at South Staffordshire Council and national Chair of Young POS talk to shortlisted EPA nominee Annie Utting. Annie is at Be First Ltd (for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham).
Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Charlotte Greenhow at South Ribble Borough Council.
Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Will Lawrence at Nottinghamshire County Council
Then finally you will hear a conversation between Shaun, Annie, Charlotte and Will.
The first two conversations were recorded online and the second two were recorded at The Createry in Nottingham.
The four conversations take in, amongst other things, their respective careers to date, managing application backlogs, facilitating service improvements, why householder applications can be worse than majors, why no two council planning teams are the same, the dreaded role of duty planners, local government reorganisation, managing abuse, on one side of the coin, but the best part of their roles on the other.
Some accompanying reading.
Emerging Planners in Practice – Young POS on LinkedIn
British Podcast Awards
Some accompanying viewing.
Planning on the Frontline: Navigating Abuse, Misinformation and Public Pressure
Leadership Skills with Graham Stallwood
Parks & Recreation
Some accompanying listening.
Stay Young – Oasis
Any other business.
If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome.
If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug.
50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community.
