Frazer Stuart: Vice President, Valuation Tribunal of England

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“Interacting with people, be they my colleagues or parties in a hearing is always rewarding and enjoyable. That, along with building knowledge and contributing to the ongoing work of the tribunal is particularly satisfying, I thoroughly enjoy my work at the tribunal and I would encourage anyone – lawyer or not – to apply for the role.”

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Background

I am a solicitor, specialising in crime. I qualified in 2009 after converting to law – my degree is in computer science. I practiced in criminal defence before moving to the Criminal Cases Review Commission as head of legal. I now work for the Crown Prosecution Service.

I joined the Valuation Tribunal of England (VTE) in 2017 as a senior member following a JAC exercise, and in February this year I was appointed Vice President of the tribunal following another JAC exercise.

I had spent time researching judicial appointments in general, and was keeping an eye open for opportunities. I had also completed the JAC’s online tests to see if I was ready to apply. Ultimately, you only really find out if you’re ready by putting yourself forward and going through the process. Whatever happened, it would be a learning opportunity.

I had a general interest in obtaining a judicial appointment. Most of my work involved appearing before a tribunal or court and I wanted to see what the perspective was like from the other side of the bench. At the time, the tribunal sat in person all over the country so would allow me to sit without lots of travel. Now, as a virtual tribunal, this is not an issue.

The application

Both of my appointments, as senior member and VP, were made following a JAC exercise. There’s no getting away from the fact that it can take some time to go through the process and this can be frustrating. However, the timetables are clearly set from the outset, so you know where you are up to and what is expected at any given point. The JAC team are helpful; whenever I had a query, I received a quick response.

There’s no need to be intimidated by the interviews and assessments. You don’t need to be a surveyor or lawyer to do well, as everyone brings their own skillset. A little preparation goes a long way.

The role

The role is challenging but very enjoyable. As with most things in life, there were significant unexpected changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tribunal moved to an online environment very quickly in order to maintain a service. This move has been positive, and hearings are now primarily conducted via Microsoft Teams. This took some getting used to, but the training and support during this period were impressive.

The training programme is comprehensive, and you are supported as you get up to speed. You are challenged, but not thrown in at the deep end. There’s now a mixture of online and face-to-face training events and resources to get you up to speed. Even once you’re established in the role you are still learning and developing – it never stops!

We have regular online drop-in sessions for members, as well as training events on various subjects. There are also in-person events that all members are encouraged to attend.

The support is excellent, and you are encouraged to build up your network within the tribunal as there’s always somebody you can reach out to if needed.

Insofar as development opportunities go, many members of the tribunal use their experience to apply for other roles. Equally, many members use their experience to develop within the tribunal, dealing with more complex cases that can have significant consequences for the parties and beyond.

This role is a judicial appointment, and the decisions you make will have consequences for the people involved. The tribunal fulfils an important role. Council tax and business rates are a key source of revenue for local government for the provision of serves to the public. Making sure the regulations are properly followed is key to maintaining public confidence in local governance.

In every hearing you conduct, you’re basically solving problems. Ensuring that the laws and regulations have been properly implemented is important for everyone and having the ability to intervene and actually make a difference is very rewarding.

It’s also very different subject matter to my “main” job. It’s good to diversify where possible, yet the skills I have picked up I can take back and use in my other roles.

Other specialists

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