Eight years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”.
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party, compared to less than a third for the Conservatives.
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts, over time, the Conservatives have punched beneath their 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, each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented.
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Ofcom – Non-Executive Board Member
“Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications, wireless communications, radio and postal services. Ofcom has also taken on new duties in 2021 in regulating content on Video Sharing Platforms and has a new role in making sure telecoms networks have adequate cyber security. Ofcom is also preparing for new online duties to help make the internet a safer place. Ofcom is accountable to Parliament but is independent of both Government and those it regulates.”
Time: Up to 2 days per week
Remuneration: £42,519 per annum.
Closes: 10 November
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UK Government Investments – Non-Executive Directors
“UK Government Investments (UKGI) is the government’s centre of excellence in corporate governance and corporate finance. The organisation works across government on some of its most interesting and complex commercial and financial tasks. It is responsible for promoting good governance of publicly owned businesses, supporting the government’s private sector interventions and delivering orderly transactions that generate value for money. UKGI are looking for two Non-Executive Directors to join the Board. The Board provides strategic direction and ensures UKGI is equipped to perform its functions, including having sufficient resourcing and a suitable organisational structure. The Board also enables effective arrangements to be put in place to provide assurance on risk management, governance and internal control.”
Time: No less than 3 days per month
Remuneration: £25,000 per annum
Closes: 11 November
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Crown Commercial Service – Non-Executive Chair
“Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is a Trading Fund and Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office. Our offices are in Liverpool, Norwich, Newport, London and Birmingham… You will lead and manage the business of the Board to provide clear strategic direction and focus for the CCS to deliver the agreed strategy and objectives. You will support the CEO to execute the agreed strategy, and add value by offering independent, constructive challenge towards the strategic direction, performance and management control of CCS. You will bring a successful track record of leadership in complex customer-focused environments by providing scrutiny, governance and strategic leadership grounded in board/executive committee level experience.”
Time: Approx 2-3 days per month
Remuneration: £20,000 per annum
Closes: 12 November
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Department for Transport – HS2 Residents Commissioner
“The purpose of the Residents’ Commissioner is to hold HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport (DfT) accountable for delivery of their commitments to treat those people directly affected by HS2 with sensitivity and respect. The Commissioner specifically ensures that HS2 Ltd adheres to the commitments in its Residents’ Charter. The Commissioner oversees communication standards for both statutory and non-statutory property schemes and will ensure that HS2 Ltd, the company appointed to build the new railway, will deal fairly and equitably with all those whose lives and properties it affects.”
Time: 8 days per month
Remuneration: £43,200 per annum
Closes: 12 November
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NHS England– Chair
“NHS England shares responsibility with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care for promoting a comprehensive health system in England, for securing improvements in physical and mental health, and for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ill-health… The Chair will play a crucial role in holding the organisation to account to deliver improvements in patients’ care, value for money and broader health reforms. This will include elective service recovery and creating a new integrated system between health and social care, focussed on improving outcomes required as a result of the new health and social care levy.”
Time: 2-3 days per week
Remuneration: £63,000 per annum
Closes: 16 November
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Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – Board Member
“Now is an exciting time to be a Board member of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, as the organisation is embarking on a major programme of transformation (as set out by the 3-year Corporate Plan 2021-24), with a real desire to put customer service at the forefront of its regulatory functions. IPSA’s mission is to enable MPs to focus on what really matters by providing an exemplary, seamless regulatory service, underpinning its purpose of supporting democracy with great service, fair rules and wise spending. Its purpose, mission and values are all newly defined through extensive internal and external engagement and IPSA have recently secured additional funding through the Speaker’s Committee for IPSA (SCIPSA) to deliver its Corporate Plan.”
Time: 2-3 days per month
Remuneration: £400 per diem
Closes: 22 November
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UK Space Agency – Board Chair
“The UK Space Agency, an executive agency of BEIS, supports BEIS in the delivery of the strategic direction for the UK’s civil space activities and provides funding and other support to grow the UK’s space sector and foster ground-breaking science and innovation, with an aspiration to be a meaningful global leader in space. The Agency’s work covers a broad spectrum of activity, from fundamental research into the origins of the universe to investment in down-to-earth uses of space, such as weather forecasting, telecommunications and safety-critical navigation.”
Time: 24 days per month
Remuneration: £13,000-20,000 per annum
Closes: 28 November
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Ofcom – Chair
“The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is looking for an outstanding individual to appoint as the new Chair for Ofcom… Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, telecommunications, wireless communications, online, radio and postal services. Ofcom is accountable to Parliament and is independent of both Government and those it regulates. Ofcom operates at the cutting-edge of the digital communications industries in the UK and in a fast changing environment. Ofcom’s principal duty is to further the interests of citizens and consumers, where appropriate, by promoting competition.”
Time: 3 days per week
Remuneration: £142,500 per annum
Closes: 29 November