Appointment details

High Speed Rail (HS2) Residents’ and Construction Commissioner

Summary

• Organisation: HS2 Independent Construction Commissioners
• Sponsor department: Department for Transport
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Transport
• Skills: Business, Commercial, Communication, Major Projects, Consumer Advocacy
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: Adhoc
• Remuneration: £650 per day
• Length of term: 3 years
• Application deadline: 10am on 14 January 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   17 December 2024

2. Application deadline

   10am on 14 January 2025

3. Sifting date

   24 January 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   17 February 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The independent Commissioner holds High Speed Two Limited (HS2 Ltd) and the Department for Transport (DfT) accountable to their commitments to treat those people directly affected by the HS2 scheme with sensitivity and respect. 

The Commissioner oversees and monitors the commitments of HS2 Ltd in relation to its treatment of residents, provides independent scrutiny and produces periodic reports, publicly outlining their views and recommendations to HS2 Ltd and DfT. The Commissioner will be expected to meet quarterly with HS2 Ltd’s senior leadership to ensure they are engaged on these issues.

The Commissioner will oversee communication standards regarding both statutory and non-statutory property schemes applicable along the route of HS2 and other rail schemes within the Commissioner’s remit. The Commissioner champions residents and others affected and will provide reassurance to individuals that the relevant delivery body will deal fairly and equitably with them. 

The Commissioner makes themselves available to intervene in unresolved land and property disputes, as an objective and independent voice, focussing on timely settlement to save costs on both sides. The Commissioner can determine some small claims. Where the Commissioner does not have the power to determine cases, they will be able to make recommendations to DfT or HS2 Ltd on steps to be taken to progress and, where possible, settle long-running cases.

Introduction from the Minister

The case for transport investment is that connectivity drives jobs, growth and housing, and is integral to the new government’s missions.

Transport systems are dynamic - they change over time. New infrastructure creates new opportunities for growth, and this government is determined to see people’s lives get better.

So the government is committed to directing every penny spent on the railways into creating a stronger, more reliable network that works for everyone. But as long as we make the case for transport infrastructure, we have a duty to ensure that we do the best we can for those it impacts to their detriment.

In the cause of new and better connectivity, if the government is buying your home, land or business, whether you like it not, or if your quiet corner of the world is about to get busier, you won’t care much about the wider benefits.

The government wants to mitigate the impact of new railway projects as far as it can. Compensation is always available and, in many cases, goes beyond the minimum required by law. The government has invested heavily in engaging with people affected, whether directly or through our agencies.

But it is not enough that we should make these efforts. It is important that those delivering new railway infrastructure are held to account by an independent voice.

The High Speed Rail Residents’ and Construction Commissioner will provide that voice. They will champion the people for whom new railway infrastructure brings change and disruption.

This is a new role, and I want a candidate appointed who will listen to people and communities and bring their concerns directly before those in a position to effect positive change; someone who understands community engagement and how people are affected by property acquisition, and who is unafraid to speak truth to power on behalf of others.

If that sounds like you and you have the knowledge and experience required for this role, I encourage you to apply.

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE

Minister of State for Rail

Appointment description

Scrutiny of HS2 Ltd

• Report to the HS2 Ltd Chairman and Board quarterly, on performance in relation to the issues within the Commissioner’s remit.
• Publish a quarterly report, to help the public monitor the performance of HS2 Ltd.

Resolution of disputes

• Review and adjudicate on small value disputes (currently <£10k) referred by HS2 Ltd, DfT, or by individual property owners; aim to resolve these quickly to minimise costs to all parties.
• Intervene when requested (and when appropriate) in land and property claims that have become protracted or have reached an impasse, as an independent party (and in addition to or instead of other routes to resolution). Make recommendations for actions in such cases, with the aim of bringing the case to resolution quickly to minimise costs.
• Mediate in unresolved disputes between the construction project and individuals or bodies; advise, mediate and make decisions which successfully resolve issues quickly to minimise costs.
• Act as an independent advisor to relevant third parties who may be affected by scheme construction works.

Communications and engagement

• Oversee and monitor communication by HS2 Ltd of both statutory and non-statutory property schemes, ensuring that information is clear and accessible to all.
• Respond to property owners on communication issues that relate to property schemes.
• Monitor and scrutinise HS2 Ltd’s performance against the obligations set out in its Residents’ Charter and its Community Engagement Strategy, ‘Respecting people, respecting places’.
• Meet representatives of special needs groups, local communities, local third sector organisations, key stakeholder bodies and similar groups, to better understand their needs and concerns and how communications can be better matched to their needs.
• Meet and otherwise engage with elected representatives of local communities, from MPs to local councillors.
• Promote the Commissioner role, to ensure all those affected know where to go to for help.

Other

• Act impartially and always be independent in action of HS2 Ltd and DfT, prioritising the interests of residents.
• Report on the work of the Commissioner’s office to the Construction Commissioner Steering Group. These reports will include an assessment of the Small Claims Scheme and a digest of complaints which have been responded to by the HS2 Ltd Public Helpdesk.
• Undertake reviews of policies or specific cases at the request of DfT, HS2 Ltd or other relevant entities, reporting findings and making recommendations as appropriate.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory and other relevant frameworks so that decisions are legally and organisationally compliant.
• Subject to other commitments, attend meetings of the HS2 Property Approvals Group (PAG) and the quarterly HS2 Policy and Engagement Improvement Group (PEIG).
• Adhere to the seven principles of public life (see Annex A for more detail):

1. selflessness;
2. integrity;
3. objectivity;
4. accountability;
5. openness;
6. honesty; and
7. leadership. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

The Commissioner must demonstrate independence, accountability and impartiality.

A strong supporting statement will demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the post. The criteria that will be used to assess whether candidates have a mix of the required qualities, skills and experience are listed below. Please give examples in your supporting statement showing how you demonstrate each of the requirements:

• Ability to facilitate solutions to disputes. The successful candidate may have a background in / experience of dispute resolution;
• Knowledge and experience of engaging with stakeholders and communities affected by major infrastructure schemes;
• Proven ability to engage with local communities on sensitive issues, preferably in the context of a major infrastructure project;
• Excellent communication skills, including formal report-writing;
• Ability to present information clearly at all levels, including to senior leaders in delivery bodies, government and Parliament;
• Ability to act independently and with integrity and make impartial recommendations; and
• A willingness to travel within the UK (predominantly within England).

Candidates’ suitability for the role will be assessed against their ability to demonstrate the criteria above. 

Application and selection process

How to apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please apply through the Cabinet Office’s Public Appointments website by 14 January 2025. Any applications submitted after the closing date and time, or that are missing any of the following documents, will not be accepted.

A CV or equivalent biographical information (maximum two sides A4, minimum 12pt font) setting out your career history and including details of any professional qualifications.

Provide a summary of why you are interested in the role and how you meet the specification and essential criteria. This can be in a form that allows you most ably to present your interest and credentials, for example a short, bullet-point slide presentation, a short video (no more than 2 minutes) or supporting letter (no more than two A4 pages, minimum 12pt font).

Make sure you refer to the contents of this document and provide specific examples. If you wish to provide your supporting summary in video format, please contact DfTpublicappointments@dft.gov.uk in advance of the closing date.

You will also be asked to provide diversity data, and to declare any potential conflicts of interest or reputational issues.

If you have any queries about this role, please contact DfTpublicappointments@dft.gov.uk, or jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk .   

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

This role is being competed in accordance with the Governance Code (February 2024)1, which sets out the regulatory framework for public appointments processes. The Code is based on three core principles – merit, openness, and fairness.

The selection panel for this appointment competition is:

• Luke Wells, Director, Portfolio Management, Major Rail Projects Group, Department for Transport (Chair);
• Elaine Holt, Board Member, High Speed Two Limited; and
• Tom van Vuren MBE, CTPP, Board Member at the Transport Planning Society and Visiting Professor at the University of Leeds. 

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria', we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert. When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers. Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or ten years in any one post. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

The expectation is that the Commissioner will work from home; but office space can be made available if requested in London, Birmingham, Manchester or Leeds. The Commissioner will need to travel locally and nationally for meetings and engagement activities. Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed by DfT. 

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the DfT Public Appointments Team on DftPublicAppointments@dft.gov.uk in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Information provided as part of this application will be kept securely within DfT and destroyed within 5 years of the conclusion of the recruitment campaign.

DfT uses this form to gather evidence on DfT’s public appointments.

The lawful basis that applies to this processing is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest to inform DfT’s recruitment policies in accordance with the Department’s public sector equality duties.

For processing special category personal data (disability, religion, sexual orientation and ethnicity), we rely on Article 9(2)(g), reasons of substantial public interest (equality of opportunity and treatment).

Contact details

Please contact the DfT Public Appointments Team on jonny.weare@dft.gov.uk if you have any questions about the role. 

Attachments

• Candidate Pack