Lord Michael Bichard is calling for “as many people as possible” to contribute to his review into the governance and purpose of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The review, which Bichard was appointed to lead earlier this month, was an important recommendation of Alison Levitt QC’s report into the wrongful dismissal of four whistle-blowing directors who were dismissed in 2019.

He has already started work on the review with a six-month timetable for completion. He has now issued a call for evidence to all members and interested parties.

Lord Bichard has previously served as a permanent secretary in Whitehall and chief executive of two local authorities. He was director of the Institute of Government, has chaired several organisations, including the Social Care Institute for Excellence, and led a major government inquiry.

“My aim is to produce the report by June 2022, engaging with the widest possible range of members, candidates, fellows and stakeholders to understand the challenges and opportunities facing the Institution and produce a report that wins the support of a wide cross-section of RICS,” he said in a letter, published by Property Week.

“With over 134,000 members, I recognise that a complete consensus is unlikely. However, I want to ensure that as many people as possible can feed into the final report so that RICS will be in a strong position to rise to the challenges, rebuild its reputation and re-establish trust with members, firms and stakeholders around the world.

“I will be making firm recommendations on the purpose and governance structure of RICS, and providing advice on values, culture and strategy which can be taken forward by the incoming leadership team and Governing Council.”

Lord Bichard to lead review into governance and purpose at RICS