Six years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”.
Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts.
Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply don’t apply in the same number as Labour supporters.
To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented.
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UK Statistics Authority – Non-Executive Director
“The non-executive members of the Authority are responsible for: strategy: setting the overall strategic direction and vision of the Authority and its executive office, within the policy framework laid down in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007; governance: providing strong governance of the Authority’s executive office, ONS; working with executives: providing oversight, guidance and support to the National Statistician as the Chief Executive of the Authority, and the Director General for Regulation as the Authority’s principal adviser on the ongoing development and operation of the Authority’s assessment work; support and challenge: supporting and challenging the Government Statistical Service and ONS in delivering the Authority’s strategy; advocacy: acting as effective advocates and influential ambassadors for the UK Statistics Authority among key stakeholders;
Independence: ensuring that the Authority remains beyond reproach on the question of independence, and reports as necessary to Parliament and the devolved legislatures…”
Time: Two days per month minimum.
Remuneration: £15,000 per annum.
Closes: 01 February
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The Housing Ombudsman Service – Housing Ombudsman
“The Housing Ombudsman delivers an essential service in providing redress for social housing residents, both tenants and leaseholders, and for private tenants where their landlords have chosen to join the scheme. The Housing Ombudsman has a critical role to play in delivering an independent, fair and impartial service, improving complaint handling throughout the process, and in supporting and advising tenants, landlords, and designated persons to achieve quicker and more effective dispute resolution locally. This is a significant period for housing with the publication of the Social Housing Green Paper, Dame Judith Hackitt’s Review on Building Regulations and the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Fire. Delivering effective redress has been identified as a key issue by social housing residents and is one of the main challenges the Government is taking forward through the Social Housing Green Paper. The Housing Ombudsman plays a key role in ensuring that tenants and leaseholders are able to have quick, appropriate and effective redress.”
Time: Full time.
Remuneration: £120,000 per annum.
Closes: 04 February
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British Council – Chief Executive Officer
“The British Council is seeking to appoint a truly exceptional individual to succeed Sir Ciarán Devane, who has served as Chief Executive with success and distinction for four years. Working with the Board of Trustees and Executive Board, the Chief Executive provides the British Council with the leadership, challenge and inspiration to meet its aspirations. The successful candidate will be driven by a sense of social mission and purpose. They will gain international recognition as an expert in cultural relations and will be at the forefront of the global relationship-building which enhances the British Council’s authority and presence and, through that, the profile of the whole of the UK. This is an incredibly exciting, stimulating and challenging post, requiring exceptional vision, energy, imagination and cultural sensitivity. As described above, the British Council, backed by Royal Charter, is an entrepreneurial public service with a strong purpose-driven ethos in all it does.”
Time: Full time.
Remuneration: £150,000 per annum, plus bonus and pension.
Closes: 11 February
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Judicial Appointments Commission – Commissioners
“The JAC Commissioners – who are independent of government and the civil service – have the corporate responsibility for ensuring that the JAC fulfils its role under the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act so that recruitment to the judiciary is made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. As an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Justice, Commissioners are accountable to Parliament through the Lord Chancellor… The main responsibilities of the Commissioners are to: maintain the values of the JAC, particularly selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition; oversee a number of selection exercises ensuring that the most suitable candidates are recommended to the Lord Chancellor for appointment; take part in and influence debates about the strategic objectives, performance and constitutional role of the JAC; promote the JAC and to have regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for selection.”
Time: ~28 days per annum.
Remuneration: £338 per diem.
Closes: 11 February
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Civil Nuclear Police Authority – Independent Members
“The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) is a body corporate established by the Energy Act 2004 and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The CNPA has a statutory responsibility for maintaining an efficient and effective Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). The CNC provides an armed response capability for the UK’s civil nuclear industry, operating from units based at licensed nuclear sites throughout the UK and providing armed escorts – road and marine – for movements of nuclear materials within the UK and overseas. The CNPA sets the strategic direction for the CNC and ensures that it’s policing meets the needs of the nuclear operating companies. This could mean denying unauthorised access to nuclear material or recovering control of nuclear material lost to unauthorised persons.”
Time: 35 days per annum.
Remuneration: £17,500 per annum.
Closes: 17 February
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Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) & Electricity Settlements Company (ESC) – Chair
“The LCCC delivers key elements of the Contracts for Difference (CFDs) scheme, established to incentivise investment in low carbon electricity generation. In all its operations as the counterparty to CFDs, the LCCC is led by its principle of maintaining investor confidence in the scheme and to minimise costs to consumers. The role of the ESC is to maintain a healthy surplus of electricity capacity. It oversees settlement of the Capacity Market to ensure that regular payments are made to capacity providers who have agreed to provide capacity at times of system stress. In carrying out its activities ESC seeks to maintain participants confidence in the Capacity Market whilst minimising costs to consumers. LCCC and ESC are private limited companies wholly-owned by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The companies have day-to-day operational independence, subject to certain limited exceptions which require shareholder consent. The Boards of LCCC and ESC comprise the same members so we are seeking to appoint an individual to be Chair of both companies.”
Time: Two days per week.
Remuneration: £100,000 per annum plus expenses.
Closes: 18 February
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Ofsted – Board Member
“The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) is a force for improvement through intelligent, responsible and focused inspection and regulation, and an organisation committed to putting children and students first. Ofsted is recruiting up to four individuals to its board. The board agrees Ofsted’s strategic priorities, targets and objectives. Its members provide constructive and supportive advice and challenge to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) on Ofsted’s activities and performance, and monitor Ofsted’s performance and spending. Successful applicants will be strategic thinkers able to lead and influence at Board level. You will be able to consider issues from a big picture, macro perspective, and to support and challenge the executive in its strategic planning. Practical experience in a relevant sector, and theoretical understanding of the challenges and issues facing Ofsted will be crucial to your ability to contribute across the breadth of Ofsted’s activities.”
Time: Up to 20 days per annum.
Remuneration: £8,282 per annum.
Closes: 18 February