Regulatory bodies can’t compete with Ofcom on salaries, Commons Trade and Industry Committee reports

http://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2007/10/24/42967/regulatory-bodies-cant-compete-with-ofcom-on-salaries-commons-trade-and-industry-committee-reports.html

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Government regulators are struggling to find top quality recruits because all the best candidates are being taken by the communications watchdog Ofcom, MPs have warned. [Best for just who or what? Not the public, that's for sure].

A Trade and Industry Committee report said that the communications regulator is able to offer more lucrative deals to staff because it is funded by employers.

The committee, reporting specifically on the recruitment problems faced by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), called for a government inquiry into Ofcom's market domination.

"There is a clear disparity between the rewards Ofcom offers to its employees and the rewards that other regulatory bodies are able to offer," said the report.

"We share the concerns of OFT management over the lack of flexibility available to it in rewards packages.

"As the UK's principal competition authority, the OFT needs to employ talented individuals to do its job. We recommend that the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform undertakes a review of the effect that the greater market power of Ofcom in attracting staff could be having."

Ofcom is currently advertising for a consumer panel chairman, to work six days a month for £30,000 per year.

Greg Pitcher
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I'm actually quite tempted to apply for the OCP position - at six days per month, it's commutable from Miami.

idb wrote on Oct 26^th, 2007 at 1:37am:

Regulatory bodies can’t compete with Ofcom on salaries, Commons Trade and Industry Committee reports A Trade and Industry Committee report said that the communications regulator is able to offer more lucrative deals to staff because it is funded by employers.

Does this mean the costs of Ofcom are met by a levy on the telecoms industry? If so, does this not lead to the tune being called by he who pays the piper? Where's the safeguard?

Doctors, dentists, nurses and I think banks regulate themselves so can't see any reason why the telecoms industry don't. If they didn't our politcal masters would appoint someone, (like they appoint judges) so nothing will ever be independent and if it was, they would give them a knighthood to get them on their side.

..and this I think proves my case....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/26/nmobile126.xml

farci wrote on Oct 26^th, 2007 at 9:59am:

Does this mean the costs of Ofcom are met by a levy on the telecoms industry? If so, does this not lead to the tune being called by he who pays the piper? Where's the safeguard?

Yes! This site tells you who pays Ofcom..

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/ioi/adminfees/list.pdf

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