August 2018 – Letter from the President

The President’s love for motor sport finds its place in the middle of his busy IRRV schedule!

Dear reader,

Carla-Maria and I always look forward to June and our annual week in Le Mans for the 24-hour race for sports cars.  As we don’t do camping, hotel accommodation has to be booked at least a year in advance and grandstand tickets purchased in October.  Hence this event was booked in my diary before becoming President.  Also, June brought my mother’s 94th birthday a week after Le Mans, so a visit to Norfolk was also fixed in my diary!

My IRRV activities in June began with the parliamentary reception of the Chartered Institute of Taxation in the Terrace Pavilion of the House of Commons.  About 150 people attended, including 19 MPs and peers and I was very pleased to have been invited to represent the Institute.

Next up was a breakfast meeting of the IRRV Performance Awards Panel to discuss this year’s entries, followed by the IRRV Past Presidents’ Lunch.  I was pleased that so many of my predecessors joined us in such convivial surroundings.

After returning from Le Mans, we were straight off to Belfast to bestow honorary membership of the IRRV on Brian McClure, in recognition of his enormous contribution to the Institute over so many years. The next day I was pleased to visit Alan Brontë, Director of Valuation, Land and Property Services, Northern Ireland and IRRV Council member. He generously gave up most of the morning to explain the developments and modernisation in valuation in Northern Ireland.  I was particularly taken with the ability to search for property values on maps available online and with up to date images.

Back to England and off the next day to Snetterton for the IRRV East Anglian Association AGM, where David Magor and I gave a joint presentation. My congratulations go to the newly elected East Anglian President, Adrian Mills, and my thanks go to the Executive Committee for choosing a motor racing venue!

After the weekend in Norfolk, Carla-Maria and I went back to London to give a joint presentation on rates avoidance to the London and Home Counties Association. The next day was at the Local Government Association (LGA) for a meeting of the joint LGA/MHCLG System Design Working Group.

My final event in June was the IRRV Wessex Association AGM, in the impressive surroundings of Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch.  David Magor and I gave a repeat of our joint presentation, which was well received.  My thanks go to Lyndsey Sparrow and the Executive Committee for inviting us to their AGM.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute

July 2018 – Letter from the President

Gordon's travels show no signs of abating as summer approaches

Dear reader,

May began with the postponed joint lunch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) and Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) in Edinburgh.  I was pleased to be seated with a Member of the Scottish Parliament and to discuss current Scottish issues.

This was followed by a welcome break in my Presidential duties before a brief visit to Leeds for the first day of the IRRV Spring Conference, bringing together the former Welfare Benefits and Enforcement Conferences. I gave my presentation on tax avoidance before visiting the exhibition to be photographed on every exhibition stand.

The next day, Carla-Maria and I were preparing to head off to Estoril in Portugal for the European Valuation Conference and the Spring General Assembly of The European Group of Valuers’ Associations (TEGoVA). This now comprises 74 valuers’ associations from 37 countries, including the three latest new members.

The Assembly reminded me of the United Nations, with everyone seated behind a plaque showing their national flag and organisation.  On this occasion the IRRV held the proxy for the Russian Society of Appraisers (RSA) and hence we were sitting behind both the UK and Russian flags.  Fortunately there were no controversial votes!

Automated Valuation Methods (AVMs) remain very topical with the launch of TEGoVA’s publication, ”Assessing the Accuracy of Values of Individual Properties Estimated by Automated Valuation Models”, by Professor George Matysiak. The IRRV Council’s Roger Messenger gave a well-received presentation on “The Fallacy of the Tick-Box Bank Valuation Reports”.

David Magor, with our partner from Ireland, Patrick Davitt (IPAV), reported on the completion of the Erasmus plus project, “Resources for European Valuation Standards in Europe” (REVASE), providing training material to complement TEGoVA’s “blue book” on European Valuation Standards.

The IRRV will be paid for the work on REVASE from European Union funding under the Erasmus plus programme for education, training, youth and sport.  Erasmus is probably best known for enabling young people to study abroad. The IRRV is bidding for two more projects, but our access to EU funding after “Brexit” must be in doubt.  For the IRRV this will have budget implications.

Back in London, the next day I was pleased to have been invited by the Chartered Institute of Taxation to an address by the Rt. Hon. Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee.  It was a fascinating account of the work and powers of the Select Committee and interesting to hear that it is more powerful when no party has an overall majority in the Commons.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute

June 2018 – Letter from the President

Dear reader,

Immediately after Easter, Carla-Maria and I were off to Prague for the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) 2018 Research Symposium.  The IAAO is based in the USA and the focus of the 2018 event was “on the issues surrounding data in the development of valuation estimates and the challenges data brings to government officials across the world.”

I was able to minimise the cost to the IRRV by “volunteering” to present a paper.  My subject was “The Need for a Good Appeals Process”.  Unfortunately, the English experience of reducing business rate valuation appeals by making the process difficult through Check, Challenge and Appeal is an example of exactly what not to do!  It has completely missed the point that appeals are reduced by making the valuation process transparent.

Other papers presented illustrated how data and technology can be harnessed to present fair valuation assessments where the basis of the calculations are made readily accessible. I believe that we could use such techniques within council tax, to have regular, even annual revaluations to discrete capital values.  However, business rates would be more difficult to achieve but not impossible.  We just need some vision, leadership and a willingness to embrace the future.

Back home and the rest of April enabled me to visit the West Midlands, North and Mid Wales, Lancashire and Cheshire and the East Midlands IRRV Associations for their respective AGMs.  It was a pleasure to attend all of these events and my thanks go to the Presidents and Executive Committees for inviting me and making me so welcome. 

I am always pleased to have the opportunity to meet local members and the members of the Association Executive Committees who put in so much work, often over many years, to keep their respective Associations active. It was therefore a particular pleasure to present Alan Lemmon with his IRRV Long Service award, in recognition of his 35 years’ service to the East Midlands Association.

April also brought the IRRV Thames Valley dinner dance, in the delightful surroundings of Highfield Park. Sarah Kingston and the Executive Committee made Carla-Maria and I most welcome and a very jolly time was had by all that evening!

Finally, I must mention the IRRV National Council meeting on 23rd April.  We are making progress on our future strategy and setting out the policies of the Institute.  On a personal note, one small change that I have made is to no longer wear the full Chain of Office for national Council meetings.  This followed a short discussion at the January meeting where I came to the view that if a Council member does not know who the President is, then they probably should not be there!  The Chain of Office should be used on formal occasions when entertaining Institute guests or attending Association events and I am proud to wear it on such occasions.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute

May 2018 – Letter from the President

Friends old and new take precedence this month, as Gordon Heath’s tour of duty is well under way :

Dear reader,

It is an important part of the IRRV President’s duties to represent and promote a positive image of the Institute at every opportunity, both to our members and to other organisations.  I welcome this opportunity - even if March was rather full of events.

A brief visit to Scotland on 2nd March was cancelled because the snow brought all the transport to a halt.  Fortunately, my next event was the IRRV London and Home Counties Association Dinner, which is my home Association.  Once again the event was held in the splendid surroundings of the Innholders’ Livery Hall.  I congratulate the organiser, Chris Grose, for arranging such a splendid menu with matching wines. And once again the Chef, Herbert Berger, who has won Michelin stars three times, really excelled himself.  I recommend this event to all IRRV members and I am grateful to the Executive Committee for their invitation.

The following week, David Magor and I enjoyed the Association of Accounting Technicians annual lunch at the Clothworkers’ Hall. The following evening, I was at Lord’s Cricket Ground for the annual dinner of the Society of London Treasurers, where I was pleased to be seated with three people that I knew.

The next morning was the start of another late wintery weekend, as we drove to Haydock for the IRRV Lancashire and Cheshire Association dinner dance.  It was of course well worth the drive and I was pleased to see a large turnout for the event.  It is always a pleasure to visit the Lancashire and Cheshire Association, because they are a very lively and active Association.  My thanks go to their President, Julie Smethurst, and her Executive Committee, for inviting Carla-Maria and I to their event.  It was also a very nice touch to leave such a splendid bunch of flowers in our room.

The following week brought three more events, starting with the Association of Taxation Technicians President’s reception in the Churchill War Rooms.  It is a really interesting place to visit, although there is not much time after meeting friends both old and new and the brief speeches.

Next day was lunch at the Lansdowne Club for Past Presidents and Honorary Members of the Rating Surveyors’ Association, and I of course fall into the latter category. 

Finally, on Friday of that week I was hosting the IRRV Presidents’ Lunch at the Goring Hotel in London.  I am pleased that we had a good response, with Presidents from many professional bodies and other organisations attending.  I was pleased to receive a gift of a framed photograph of myself and my wife taken at a previous TEGoVA conference, from Brian Dempsey of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers in Ireland. I now recognise and have started to get to know the Presidents of many of the related professional bodies!  I was also pleased to welcome Mr Justice Holgate, President of the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber), Gary Garland, President of the Valuation Tribunal for England and Councillor Sue Baxter, Chairman of the National Association of Local Councils, to name a few.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute

The President attends the IRRV Lancashire and Cheshire Association AGM

From left in picture :   IRRV President Gordon Heath congratulates IRRV Lancashire and Cheshire Association in-coming President Robin Gibbons, Senior Vice-President Catherine Nicholson and Junior Vice-President Richard Kerr, on their new positions of office. 

Sincere congratulations were extended at today's well-attended AGM (20th April) to out-going President Julie Smethurst for her very successful year in office.

April 2018 – Letter from the President

This month, our President highlights how the Institute is grasping the opportunity to influence government policy :

Dear reader,

On 7th February, I attended the joint MHCLG (formerly DCLG) and LGA System Design Working Group, which discusses the possible detailed working of business rates in the future with 100% (or 75%?!) local retention.  At present the group is looking at reform within existing legislation to be implemented in 2020/21. With Brexit taking up so much government time, there is little room for primary legislation until after 2020/21.  Meanwhile, our discussions will inform the consultation process, allowing a long term proposal for reform.

The System Design Working Group is planning to discuss seven core technical papers over the coming months, supplemented by other papers in response to our discussions.  We started with a paper on the Central and Local Rating Lists.  At this stage, these papers are largely concerned with the technical working of how the rate income is distributed to local authorities and will feed into future consultation papers.

Despite Brexit, it does seem that if the government really wants to do something, it will.  Hence the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Relief from Non-Domestic Rates) Act received Royal Assent on 8th February and will give 100% relief to new full fibre infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the IRRV is making progress on the plans for this year’s Performance Awards and I am pleased that Paul Sinha has agreed to host the Awards Dinner in Telford.  Paul was born in Britain of Bengali parents and qualified as a doctor while also taking his initial venture into the world of stand-up comedy. He is now a full-time comedian, radio presenter and TV personality. If you ever have time to watch tea-time TV, you will recognise him from the ITV quiz show “The Chase”.

On the technical side, in February the Institute responded to the consultations on “Business Rates in Multi-occupied Properties (re. Woolway v Mazars) [England]” and “Default County Court Judgements [England and Wales]”.

March began with a cold snap, bringing snow all over Britain. Fortunately, the Institute’s Policy Committee had planned a teleconference on our budget and the direction of the Institute.  We made good progress and I am optimistic that changes to make us fit for the future will be in place sooner rather than later.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute

March 2018 – Letter from the President

Dear reader,

Business Rates are dominating my Presidential year, with continued calls for reform from ratepayers. This is likely to be fuelled by the bills for 2018/19, with some facing large increases and others not receiving their gains following last year’s revaluation. The renamed Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government (DHCLG) is still working on rating reform and I have recently attended a meeting of the System Design Working Group at the Department.  The main topic this time was the contents of the Central Rating List.

My first official event of 2018 was the Chartered Institution of Taxation President’s Luncheon held in the Drapers’ Hall, in the heart of the City of London. This provided an interesting networking opportunity with related organisations in very historic surroundings.

Unfortunately, having agreed to do a joint presentation with my wife at the London and Home Counties Association later that week, Carla-Maria and I had to cancel as a result of family illness which took us away from London. 

Next up was a meeting at IRRV HQ to discuss the arrangements for the 2018 Performance Awards. The scheme continues to attract high quality entries and I look forward to presenting this year’s awards in October.

I was pleased to support my home Association at the London and Home Counties Annual Quiz.  This has the format of a pub quiz, not least because it is held in a pub! My thanks go to the organisers of this fun event and congratulations to the team from Tower Hamlets, who won …. yet again!  As for the President’s team, well, we didn’t come last.

The following Monday, I chaired the January meeting of the IRRV Council.  The main issues included agreeing the draft budget for 2018, following a good outturn for 2017, and moving our strategy review forward.

February began with the IRRV West Midlands Association’s Annual Dinner at the Bromsgrove Hotel and Spa. The venue was excellent and my thanks go to their President Neil Jinks for inviting Carla-Maria and myself.  The organising committee of Jan Evans, Andrew Ludwig and Barry Powell did a great job. 

I now look forward to a busy few months visiting IRRV Associations, as well as representing the Institute at various meetings and conferences.

Yours, 

Gordon

Gordon Heath BSc IRRV (Hons) is President of the Institute