ORR board committees

The board has four standing advisory committees and their terms of reference are included in the board's rules of procedure.

Standing committees:

  • Transformation Committee
  • Audit and risk committee
  • Health and safety regulation committee
  • Highways committee
  • People committee

It may appoint other committees to deal with areas of work before recommendations are sent to the board by the committee or the executive for a decision.

Audit and Risk Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support and advise the board in its responsibilities for issues of risk, control, governance, and associated assurance. 

  • Non-executive directors: Daniel Ruiz (Chair), Catherine Waller, Ian Dobbs, and Lindsey Fussell.
  • Independent member: Nick Bateson.

Also in attendance at all meetings:  Chief Executive (Accounting Officer), Chief Operating Officer, Associate Director of Finance and Governance, General Counsel, a member of the Board Secretariat team, representatives of the internal audit service provider and the National Audit Office.

Health and Safety Regulation Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support and advise the board in its responsibilities for the regulation of health and safety by overseeing related issues and helping to shape the strategic considerations to be put to the board. 

  • Non-executive directors: Ann Metherall (Chair), Declan Collier, Ian Dobbs, Madeleine Hallward, and Xavier Brice.
  • Executive directors: Feras Alshaker and Richard Hines.
  • Other members: Elizabeth Thornhill.

Experts, staff, and external stakeholders may be invited to attend and contribute to specific discussions in order to support the committee’s functions.

Highways Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support and advise the board in its responsibilities on matters related to National Highways and the strategic road network. Its existence fulfils a requirement of a 2015 memorandum of understanding between the Department for Transport and ORR. 

  • Non-executive directors: Madeleine Hallward (Chair), Anne Heal, Daniel Ruiz and Lindsey Fussell.
  • Executive directors: Feras Alshaker.
  • Other members: Graham Richards. 

Meetings of the committee will be attended by the Deputy Director, Strategic Road Network. Experts, staff, and external stakeholders, may be invited to attend and contribute to specific discussions in order to support the committee’s functions.

Transformation Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support and advise the Board in exercising strategic oversight, assurance and challenge in relation to ORR’s organisational transformation (predominantly arising from rail reform).

  • Non-executive Directors: Lindsey Fussell (Chair), Declan Collier, and Anne Heal.

Meetings of the committee will be attended by the Chief Executive, Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform, and the Chief Operating Officer, as well as a member of the Board Secretariat. Experts, staff, and external stakeholders, may be invited to attend and contribute to specific committee discussions in order to support the committee’s functions.

People Committee

The purpose of the committee is to support and advise the board in its responsibilities for remuneration and nomination matters, as well as strategic people-related issues. 

  • Non-executive directors: Anne Heal (Chair), Catherine Waller, Ann Metherall and Xavier Brice. 

Also in attendance at meetings: the Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer (who will both withdraw for any item relating to their own performance or reward), the Associate Director of HR, and a member of the Board Secretariat team.