Our governance

The main decision-making and executive bodies at the Valuation Office Agency.

The VOA is an executive agency of HMRC. The Chief Executive of the agency is a Treasury appointed Accounting Officer and is accountable for safeguarding the public funds for which they have charge; for ensuring propriety, regularity, value for money and feasibility in the handling of those public funds; and for the conduct of the agency’s day-to-day operations and management of the agency, including making changes to the organisation as are necessary to maintain and improve the performance. The Chief Executive is a HMRC Commissioner and member of HMRC’s Executive Committee.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (ExCom) is the Agency’s primary decision-making body. ExCom oversees business delivery and operational performance and is chaired by the Chief Executive. Its membership comprises all of the Executive directors with the Head of Communications and the Chief Information Officer, VOA Group (HMRC), as standing invitees.

ExCom reviews the Agency’s performance against its key performance indicators and other targets and measures, and considers opportunities for improvement. ExCom provides senior governance and oversight for the delivery of the agency’s transformation portfolio. It also reviews the status of, and management actions for, agency risks and issues.

The Board

The Board provides advice and assurance to the Accounting Officer and the executive team on developing and implementing their strategy, business plan and performance against that plan. The Board is advisory.

The Board has one sub-committee, the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. The agency does not have a separate People, Nominations and Governance Committee. This is because those in Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles are members of HMRC’s SCS and HMRC determines their remuneration within SCS pay policy guidelines. Matters relating to the Agency’s diversity and inclusion strategy, future organisational design, strategic workforce plans and Civil Service People Survey results are considered by the VOA Board.

The Non-Executive VOA Board Members are:

  • Terry Babbs, Lead Non-Executive Director (Chair)
  • Cosette Reczek, Non-Executive Director
  • Richard Hawkins, Non-Executive Director
  • Ruth Stanier, Non-Executive Director

The Executive Board Members are:

  • Jonathan Russell, Chief Executive
  • Toby Nerval, Interim Chief Corporate Services Officer
  • Carolyn Bartlett, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer
  • Alan Colston, Chief Valuer

The Audit and Risk Committee

VOA Audit and Risk Assurance Committee terms of reference

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The Audit and Risk Committee provides independent assurance to the Board and the Accounting Officer on the integrity of financial statements and comprehensiveness and reliability of assurances across the agency on governance, risk management and the control environment.

The members of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee are:

  • Cosette Reczek, Non-Executive Director (Chair)
  • Ruth Stanier, Non-Executive Director
  • Christopher Wood, Non-Executive Member
  • Helen Aston, Non-Executive Member
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