Professor Graham Zellick has been appointed chairman of the Valuation Tribunal for England.

Although the post is effective from this month, the tribunal will not come into being until the autumn, when it will replace the existing 56 local valuation tribunals dealing with appeals on council tax and business rates.

The 60-year-old barrister recently completed his term of office as chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission and was previously vice-chancellor of the University of London, principal of Queen Mary and Westfield College and an Electoral Commissioner.