In our 2018/19 Plan, we introduced our top ten priorities, to give a simple overview of our prime focus. Along with diverse regulatory activities, developing our people and modernising how we work, is strengthening and improving our stakeholder engagement. We understand that engaging better with you is essential to public confidence in our regulation of the nuclear sector. I am resolute that engagement isn’t ‘nice-to-have’ - it’s ‘must-do’.

Our recent stakeholder survey results are the best I’ve seen in over 20 years of public service, but they highlighted three areas that we want to better address and explain: proportionate and consistent regulation, capacity and capability, and efficiency. So we’re starting as we mean to continue, featuring the issues that are important to you in this newsletter.

Aligned to this, we’ve completed a self-assessment against the Regulators’ Code. Though not mandatory, I believe it important to review how we are doing and to be transparent about our progress and commitments, such as providing clearer information and guidance, and offering more two-way engagement about our work to different audiences.

And on a personal note, thanks to all of you who have welcomed my contract extension with ONR until January 2022. I am very grateful to the Board for its confidence in my leadership. I feel very passionately about public safety and greatly enjoy working with the people here, and our stakeholders. I’m confident we’re building on strong foundations, and making the right changes to be a high performing and independent regulator for years to come.

Thank you for your support, challenge and feedback to help me discharge this role.

Adriènne Kelbie
Chief Executive

We were pleased to welcome over 85 delegates to our industry conference in May, themed “public safety – everyone’s responsibility”. With representatives from licensees, technical consultants and government, it was an opportunity to listen and learn, share our 2018/19 Plan and progress towards our 2020 strategic aims and beyond…  and hear a government announcement.

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Providing efficient and effective regulation of the nuclear industry, and holding it to account on behalf of the public, isn’t just a mission statement in our strategic plans; it’s fundamental to the work we do, day in, day out, all year long. We published our annual report in June, looking back on our regulatory activities. Here’s a snapshot of our regulation during 2017/18. 

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Peer review is essential to enhancing safety standards. A delegation from ONR supported the UK’s contribution to the 6th review meeting of the Joint Convention, the world’s leading international forum for ensuring society and the environment are protected from hazards arising from spent fuel and radioactive waste. As one of only six nations in the world to receive a ‘good practice’, the meeting reinforced the UK’s international reputation.

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With approximately 95% of our charges being recovered from those we regulate, transparency and accuracy are vital, and we want to ensure our stakeholders have confidence and trust in us to get things right. Only by understanding and listening to the issues and concerns of the industry can we seek to address them, so we recently hosted two seminars to provide finance leads from industry with a greater understanding of our charging methodology.

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We’ve made considerable progress in setting up a UK State System of Accountancy and Control (SSAC), which will provide a domestic safeguards regime after the UK exits Euratom: it’s one of our top ten priorities in our 2018/19 Corporate Plan. 

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Building an effective pipeline for future regulatory capacity in the long-term is a key part of our recruitment strategy, so we were delighted to lend our support to this year’s ‘Big Bang’ event to encourage more young people to get involved in STEM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

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