New civil service commissioners named

Elizabeth Hambley, Tony Poulter and Neil Wooding have now begun their five-year terms
Elizabeth Hambley, Tony Poulter and Neil Wooding Photo: Civil Service Commission

By Jim Dunton

20 Mar 2024

Three new commissioners have been appointed to the Civil Service Commission, bringing its commissioner count to 14.

The Cabinet Office announced this week that Elizabeth Hambley, Tony Poulter and Neil Wooding are the latest additions to the commission. They will aid its work in ensuring that appointments to the civil service are made on merit and through fair and open competition.

Hambley is a qualified barrister and previously served as director general for commercial, trade and international at the Government Legal Department. Before that she held legal director roles at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Poulter was a partner at big-four consultancy PwC for 25 years. In 2023, he led the public-body review of Homes England. He currently holds non-executive roles at the Department for Transport, LCR Property and Cubico Sustainable Investments.

Wooding has most recently worked as an executive director in the Cabinet Office, prior to which he was chief people officer at the Ministry of Justice. He has also worked in regional government, local government, the National Health Service and the third sector.

First civil service commissioner Baroness Gisela Stuart said she was delighted the three new commissioners had been appointed.

"Their extensive experience and expertise from leadership roles, in both the public and private sector, will enrich the commission’s work as an independent regulator of recruitment into the civil service and in hearing complaints under the civil service code," she said.

"I look forward to working with them as commissioners, helping to ensure we have an effective civil service, appointed on merit, to develop and deliver government services across the country."

Hambley, Poulter Wooding have all joined the commission for five-year, non-renewable terms. According to the Cabinet Office they will work part time, typically for four to eight days a month.

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