Valuation Tribunal Service
The Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) was created as a corporate body by the Local Government Act 2003 and formally established as a non-departmental public body on 1 April 2004. It is sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG, and formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister).
The VTS comprises a Chairman and Members appointed by the Secretary of State, commonly referred to as the ‘VTS Board’. The majority of Board members must be valuation tribunal Presidents or Chairmen.
The Chairman is Anne Galbraith OBE, who was appointed in 2004 and re-appointed to serve until 2009.
The Deputy Chairman is Peter Lawton who is also the President of Suffolk & Essex North Valuation Tribunals.
The current Board members are Irene Robinson, Michael Tildesley OBE, John O'Shea, Ian Tighe and Ronald Barham.
The VTS appoints a Chief Executive with the consent of the Secretary of State. Christina Townsend has been Chief Executive since July 2007.
The VTS has the following functions in providing or arranging the services required for the operation of the tribunals in England: accommodation; staff (including clerks to tribunals); information technology; equipment; training for members and staff of tribunals; provision of general advice about procedures relating to proceedings before tribunals.
The VTS has a Chief Executive’s Office of 13 staff based in London.
The VTS is resourced from public funding and is responsible and accountable for its activities.
The VTS works in accordance with a corporate governance framework and requirements laid down by its sponsoring department.
The latest Annual Report and Accounts can be viewed here.