Introduction from the Minister
Dear Prospective Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in becoming the Chair of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Transport.
This is an important time for the Department for Transport (DfT). We are focused on improving performance on the railways and driving forward rail reform whilst ensuring infrastructure works for the whole country. At a critical time for Britain’s railways, the new Chair will be responsible for ensuring that the BTPA supports and challenges the British Transport Police (BTP) to maximise its essential contribution to the security and efficient operation of Great Britain’s railways. The new Chair will also need to be part of the design of a new relationship between the Force, the Authority and the rail industry as we move to a nationalised railway.
We are seeking to recruit a new Chair who can provide effective and visible leadership resulting in the delivery of strong outcomes for the railway. You will need to have a credible track record of bringing about change and improving performance, particularly through constructive challenge and effective decision-making. You should also be a strong communicator who, as well as being able to engage with the public, is able to establish personal credibility with a complex range of stakeholders including, crucially, those operating in the political, commercial and media environments. You will join at an exciting time, with policing and security a key pillar of the UK’s rail reform you will be expected to consider changes and improvements in the ways BTPA and BTP work with Great British Railways and other key stakeholders.
BTPA has a statutory duty to ensure the efficient and effective policing of the railways, serving the rail operators, their staff and passengers. It does this by setting a budget for the BTP, appointing its senior leaders, agreeing its strategic plan and then holding BTP to account for the delivery of this vital police service. Its duties and functions are similar to those of the Scottish Police Authority or a Police and Crime Commissioner in England and Wales, but it oversees a force that is responsible for policing a much wider area – the railways of Great Britain. BTPA’s role is therefore vital to everyone who uses or works on our railways – helping to support BTP to tackle crime and ensure high levels of passenger and staff confidence, as well as securing value for money from the Force.
We strongly welcome applications from all backgrounds. As part of the Department’s commitment to diversity, we believe our public appointments should reflect our customers - the travelling public – who come from all walks of life and have different experiences. We very much welcome fresh talent, expertise and perspectives, to help us better understand the needs of the communities we serve and support better decision making for all. This includes people who may have never applied for a public appointment but could bring new ideas, insights and energy.
If you are interested in the role and work of BTPA full details of the responsibilities are set out in this document, and I encourage you to apply.
Our dedicated DfT Public Appointments Team would be happy to talk through the process and answer your questions.
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, CBE
Rail Minister
Additional introductions
Role of the British Transport Police Force: The work BTP does is complex, multi-faceted and vitally important, spanning all areas of policing from community policing through to armed response and counter-terrorism. In fulfilling its statutory purpose to deliver efficient and effective policing for the railways in England, Scotland and Wales BTP has a unique role in tackling and minimising the disruption caused by incidents on the railway, addressing violent crime, countering the terrorist threat and protecting Great Britain’s critical railway.
BTP has a significant role in identifying and helping people in crisis, those who are vulnerable or at risk of exploitation and responding to the unique risks of the railway in this regard. This significant task, which spans 10,000 miles of track and more than 3,000 railway stations and depots, relies on the hard work, dedication and experience of officers and civilian staff, based at Headquarters in London, Glasgow and Birmingham and dispersed across Great Britain.
BTP plays a crucial role in enhancing rail performance and addressing violence against women and girls, directly supporting key government objectives.
BTP is unique in many ways, not least in the stakeholder environment within which it operates. Working across three of the four home nations, it is essential that BTP works in close partnership with others in the policing family across Great Britain, to provide a responsive and joined-up service to passengers, rail staff and others who work on or live near the railway. BTP is substantially funded by train companies as well as by Network Rail and Transport for London, and it must operate efficiently to deliver a high-quality, responsive service across an expanding network at a cost which delivers recognisable value for money for funders.
BTP is committed to working efficiently, in partnership with BTPA, and has launched a transformation programme to deliver significant savings by 2027. The transformation programme comprises several initiatives to implement new ways of working for intelligence, justice and public protection, recognising that BTP’s people are its greatest asset. Beyond this, BTP is ambitious for the future and, as one of few policing bodies that crosses county boundaries, it is well placed to contribute fully to the national policing agenda.
BTP currently has an overall revenue budget of around £420m, with more than 5,000 police officers, special officers, PCSOs and police staff.
Appointment description
In undertaking this role, the Chair will be expected to:
- Monitor, scrutinise and challenge all aspects of BTP performance to ensure the delivery of results against agreed objectives, targets and performance indicators.
- Outline their vision and lead the effective governance of the BTP, holding it to account and providing constructive challenge as necessary.
- Build effective and constructive relationships across a range of commercial and government stakeholders including the devolved administrations.
- Be aware of the wider political and media context within which railway policing operates, demonstrating sound judgement and tact as necessary.
- Formulate, with BTPA Members and the Chief Constable, BTP’s overall strategy to ensure the efficient and effective policing of the railways.
- Agree objectives and manage and appraise the performance of the BTP’s Chief Constable and BTPA’s Chief Executive, supporting and constructively challenging them to ensure that the BTP and BTPA operate effectively, efficiently and with due propriety.
- Demonstrate a strong commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity.
Key priorities for the Chair will include:
- Lead the BTPA through the UK’s Government’s rail reform programme and work closely with Great British Railways, considering changes and improvements to BTPA’s strategy, structures, and process to best work with new stakeholders and within public ownership of Britain’s railways.
- Ensure that the BTPA’s Membership have the right skills and experience to meet their requirements and to offer credible oversight of BTP.
- Ensure BTPA conducts an effective budget settlement process for BTP, taking into account the views and inputs of stakeholders as well as the context of the wider public purse.
- Ensure that the BTP/A take advantage of opportunities for better co-operation and better interoperability with other police forces and engage with the Home Office on policing reform initiatives. The BTPA must challenge the force to show an ambitious approach.
Organisation description
BTPA was established by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (the Act) as the independent oversight body for the British Transport Police (BTP).
BTPA is a cross-border public authority which means that the Scottish Government must be consulted about appointments to BTPA.
The Act provides for the Secretary of State for Transport to appoint between eleven and seventeen Members to BTPA. BTPA currently has 14 Members, including a Deputy Chair and a Chair.
An overview of BTPA’s primary duties is provided below.
Setting the British Transport Police’s strategy: BTPA is responsible for setting objectives for BTP before the beginning of each financial year. BTPA announces these objectives, as well as its strategic direction and performance review of the BTP through several publications:
The Strategic Plan sets out BTPA’s medium-term and long-term strategies for policing the railways. The current strategy published in June 2022 covers the period 2022-27 and will see long-term changes to passenger journeys and ways of working influenced by the pandemic, an ambitious programme of rail reform, an increase in freight traffic, and the delivery of new services. All these factors will influence the demand for policing services, how those services are accessed, how BTP delivers them and the partnerships through which they achieve success.
Finally, the Annual Report, published after each financial year end, covers the policing of the railways in that year and accounts.
BTP’s funding and budget: BTPA sets BTP’s budget, formally called the BTP Fund, following proposals from the force and views from industry. It plays a key role in holding BTP to account for ensuring its budget is spent efficiently and effectively. BTPA has an important role in ensuring the delivery of the efficiency programme for BTP, helping to secure better value for money for both taxpayers and stakeholders.
Stakeholder engagement: This ensures that stakeholders, in particular the rail industry who pay for the policing of the railway, are able effectively to contribute to the development of the Strategic Plan and annual Policing Plan. Effective stakeholder engagement is essential for BTPA and involves listening to rail operators as well as their representative bodies, such as the Rail Delivery Group.
Police Service Agreements: BTPA enters into agreements with train, freight and other operating and infrastructure companies to provide a policing service to their railway or railway property. These agreements, referred to as Police Services Agreements (PSAs), require the companies to make payments for the service of BTP. For instance, when a new rail contract is awarded by the Department for Transport (or by Scottish or Welsh Ministers), the company is usually required to enter into a new PSA with BTPA. The Authority can also charge out Enhanced Police Service Agreements (EPSAs). Enhanced policing services are specific activities or requirements that are funded for a period of time by an operator.
Emergency Agreements: If an emergency financial provision is required by BTP, the DfT can provide BTPA with separate grants for specific (ring-
fenced) purposes in accordance with a framework agreement. BTPA is obliged to provide evidence that the grant was used for the purposes authorised by DfT. BTPA shall not have uncommitted grant funds in hand, nor carry specific grant funds to another financial year.
Performance monitoring: Members of BTPA provide oversight and scrutiny of BTP’s performance during the year, helping to ensure it provides an effective service to railway users, staff and the railway more generally. BTPA has a focus on legitimacy, providing oversight of those aspects of policing that impact the trust of the public including professionalism, use of force, stop and search and detention.
Appointments: BTPA is responsible for the recruitment to fill senior vacancies in the BTP, including the Chief Constable, and all members of the BTP Chief Officers’ Group, both officers and staff. BTPA is also the employer of all BTP officers and members of police staff.
Regulation of BTP: As with Home Office forces in England and Wales, for which regulations are issued under sections 50-52 of the Police Act 1996, BTPA can issue regulations for the BTP as described by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
Overseeing broader priorities: including further discussions around the devolution of the BTP’s functions in Scotland, and any implications for the BTP resulting from reform of the railways.
The Executive Team: BTPA is supported by a small Executive team led by Chief Executive, Hugh Ind, who also acts as Accounting Officer for the BTP Fund.
Regulation of appointment
This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the
Commissioner’s website 