Registrar and Chief Clerk

The Valuation Tribunal Service is responsible for the administration of - and providing support to - the Valuation Tribunal for England. This includes providing a range of legal, training, digital and administrative support. Both organisations are independent and sponsored by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

We have an important practical and constitutional role to:
- provide a high quality and consistent service to those appealing local tax decisions; and
- support the Valuation Tribunal for England's independence and provide the administrative backbone to its work.

The Valuation Tribunal for England is a volunteer-led tribunal which considers appeals relating to local taxes (council tax and non-domestic, or business, rates). Currently, around 200 volunteer members hear around 6,000 appeals every year.

It is an interesting and exciting time to be joining the Valuation Tribunal Service. Government proposals on local taxes, for example the High Value Council Tax Surcharge, will change the scope of cases and issues that the Valuation Tribunal for England hears, and with that the scope of our work. The Registrar and Chief Clerk will have an important role in implementation of these changes.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, the Registrar and Chief Clerk is the most senior clerk and legal adviser within the Valuation Tribunal Service.
They are responsible for providing legal advice and guidance on the most complex cases the organisation sees, direct to the most senior members of the Valuation Tribunal for England, including the President, the Vice-Presidents and chairs. They work closely with the President and Vice-Presidents to maintain oversight of the Valuation Tribunal for England's decision-making.

The Registrar and Chief Clerk plays a leading role in identifying changing legislation, developments and caselaw that may affect how the Valuation Tribunal for England considers cases and communicating the impact of that to clerks and volunteer Tribunal members through written updates, guidance and training to maintain high-quality advice and decision-making.

They also play an important role in supporting the Chief Executive in carrying out their functions, and in supporting both the Chief Executive and Valuation Tribunal President to achieve alignment across the two organisations. This includes supporting the strategic vision and aims of both organisations, providing information to the sponsor Department, and
providing advice on stakeholder, Tribunal member and staff engagement. It also involves bringing to their attention anything that might affect the wider running of the Valuation Tribunal Service or Valuation Tribunal for England.

The VTS offers membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Annual leave starts at 26 days and rises to 28 days after 3 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service. Plus all standard bank holidays. There are also two other days granted by the VTS usually at Christmas or New Year. Please note that there is no continuity of service with the Civil Service.