Residents’ charter and HS2 Independent Commissioners

Residents’ charter and the roles of our Independent Commissioners

We are committed to being a good neighbour by treating the affected communities with respect and consideration, and by focusing on minimising and mitigating our impacts, whilst maximising the benefits both locally and nationally across the UK.

Two independent commissioners have been appointed to hold HS2 and our supply chain accountable during the planning and delivery of the railway. They are the Residents’ Commissioner and the Construction Commissioner.

The Residents Commissioner

The independent Residents’ Commissioner makes sure we fulfil the commitments in the HS2 Community Engagement Strategy. The residents’ commissioner oversees and monitors our commitments to you and produces a periodic report.

In addition, the residents’ commissioner meets regularly with the HS2 Ltd chairman about emerging trends and concerns. The residents’ commissioner does not investigate individual cases, act as an arbitrator for individual resident concerns, or deal with complaints, except specifically with regard to small value disputes. Further information about this can be found in our Faster evaluation of small-value disturbance disputes booklet.

You can contact the residents’ commissioner by emailing [email protected]

The Independent Construction Commissioner

The independent construction commissioner’s role is to mediate and monitor the way in which HS2 Ltd manages and responds to construction complaints. Sir Mark Worthington was appointed to the role from 1st October 2018. The construction commissioner will mediate any unresolved construction related disputes between HS2 Ltd and individuals or bodies, and provides advice to members of the public about how to make a complaint about construction.

The construction commissioner regularly meets with HS2 Ltd’s chief executive officer to raise any concerns or emerging trends across the project.

Find out more about the construction commissioner and the role.

The HS2 Construction Commissioner provides a fair and balanced approach if a case cannot be resolved through the normal HS2 complaints process and in cases where a response to a complaint is unsatisfactory, or remains outstanding. They also report on activities and act as an arbitrator for the Small claims scheme.

As part of the creation of the Independent Construction Commissioner, the Construction Commissioner Steering Group (CCSG) was set up to monitor their performance throughout the construction period. The Group has also been tasked with providing independent oversight and advice to government ministers at the Department for Transport (DfT).

The Steering Group is supported by HS2 and includes representatives from local authorities and local communities along the line of route in Phase 1 and Phase 2a. Representatives from HS2 Ltd and DfT also sit on the Group, although it is independent of HS2 and DfT. It meets three to four times a year, in either Birmingham or London.