Defra and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs have appointed Julie Hill as Interim Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection with immediate effect. The four‑month term runs to 31 May 2026 and follows the departure of Dame Glenys Stacey, the OEP’s inaugural Chair. (gov.uk)
Defra stated the interim arrangement provides continuity while the recruitment of a permanent Chair concludes. The appointment was made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, revised in October 2025 and updated on 21 January 2026 to reflect the latest framework. (gov.uk)
The OEP’s independence is established in the Environment Act 2021. The Act confirms the OEP is not part of the Crown and that neither its members nor staff are civil servants. It also places a duty on the Secretary of State and the Northern Ireland Department to have regard to protecting the OEP’s independence when exercising functions in relation to it. (legislation.gov.uk)
The OEP’s remit covers England and Northern Ireland, and extends to reserved matters across the UK. Its mission is to protect and improve the environment by holding government departments, ministers, regulators and local authorities to account for compliance with environmental law. (theoep.org.uk)
The interim appointment does not affect the watchdog’s enforcement powers. The OEP receives and assesses complaints, can investigate suspected serious failures by public authorities to comply with environmental law, and may issue information and decision notices. Where necessary it can seek an environmental review in the High Court and, in urgent cases, apply for judicial review or statutory review. Private entities fall within scope only when exercising public functions. (theoep.org.uk)
Governance and decision‑making continue under the OEP Board, guided by its Governance Framework and Delegation Policy. The Chair leads the Board and provides assurance; operational decisions rest with the Chief Executive and executive committee. Board effectiveness and risk management are reported through the OEP’s annual governance statement. (theoep.org.uk)
For departments, arm’s‑length bodies and local authorities, the operational expectation is unchanged. Environmental Improvement Plan scrutiny, statutory target monitoring and any live investigations proceed on existing timetables. When the OEP takes formal enforcement steps, it must publish a statement describing the alleged failure and the action taken, subject to limited public‑interest exceptions. (theoep.org.uk)
Julie Hill has served as a Non‑Executive on the OEP Board since 2021 and was reappointed in April 2024 for a further four‑year term. She is President of the Institution of Environmental Sciences and chairs the Food Standards Agency’s Advisory Committee for Social Science. Her published work includes The Secret Life of Stuff. (gov.uk)
Hill’s interim term runs to 31 May 2026 while the permanent competition concludes under the Governance Code on Public Appointments. Further announcements will be issued via GOV.UK once the appointment process is complete. (gov.uk)