Board member re-appointments and recruitment: Charity Commission
Matt Hancock has announced 4 re-appointments to the Charity Commission board for England and Wales and recruitment of 3 new board members.
The following Charity Commission board members have been reappointed:
- Eryl Besse (to 31 December 2018)
- Orlando Fraser QC (to 31 December 2017)
- Tony Leifer (to 31 December 2018)
- Gwythian Prins (to 1 June 2017)
Eryl Besse will also become the Charity Commission’s Deputy Chair.
The government is also seeking to appoint 3 further board members to ensure the Charity Commission’s board has the right mix of skills and expertise to oversee the regulation of charities and implement its transformation programme.
Candidates will have expertise in one or more of the following categories:
- detailed knowledge of charities, including an understanding of the charity sector’s role in building a bigger, stronger society
- digital expertise, with an understanding of major IT-enabled change
- extensive understanding of law enforcement or national security, or other agencies undertaking proactive and robust investigations.
Details of the roles and how to apply are available.
The closing date for applications is 20 June.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Matt Hancock, said:
These re-appointments come at an important time as the Charity Commission looks to complete the implementation of its transformation programme.
I want to strengthen the commission’s board further by recruiting 3 new board members with the right mix of skills, knowledge and experience to support the commission in its vital role of regulating charities.
Charity Commission Chair, William Shawcross said:
Serving as a Charity Commission board member is a deep an honour and privilege. Board members play a key role in the regulation of charities, whose vital work enriches our nation. The specific skills, knowledge and experience sought in these 3 appointments will complement the invaluable continuity and expertise brought by the announced re-appointments.
In particular I would like to thank Claire Dove for her contribution to the commission’s work. Her knowledge and empathy for charities informed the Board’s work and we will work hard to find an equal champion. We wish her well.
Notes to editors
The 3 vacancies for new board members result from the following:
- Peter Clarke left the Charity Commission board earlier this year to take up his new role as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons
- Claire Dove’s first term of office ends on 30 June 2016, but she has not sought reappointment due to other work commitments
- in its January 2015 “Follow-up on the Charity Commission”, the National Audit Office recommended the Charity Commission discuss with the Cabinet Office options for bringing someone with IT expertise on to the board
Under Paragraph 1(2)(c) of Schedule 1 to the Charities Act 2011, the Welsh government was consulted before the re-appointment of Eryl Besse as board member with knowledge of conditions in Wales.
Whilst the Charities Act 2011 does not provide for a formal role of Deputy Chairman, the member for Wales, Eryl Besse will, in governance terms, fulfil this role until the end of William Shawcross’s term.
The reappointment process and recruitment process are being undertaken in compliance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice, and its principles of fairness, merit and openness.
The overall time commitment of board members will reduce over the coming 18 months, as the Charity Commission concludes the implementation of its Transformation Programme.
Press office
Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk
Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787