Simon Barnes

• Planning
• Environment
• Local government
• Licensing
• Public rights of way
• Highways
• Professional conduct and standards
• Property disputes
• Boundary disputes
• Building disputes

Simon is happy to consider mediating any civil or commercial dispute. His particular area of interest is resolving disputes involving public bodies, especially disputes relating to planning. He believes that the option of mediation in this area is often overlooked and can have great benefits for all parties.

Simon worked as a senior solicitor in local government for over 15 years, specialising in all aspects of planning and environment, licensing, and governance. Highlights include many years leading a planning and environmental legal team, sitting as the legal advisor to planning and licensing committees, acting as an independent investigator of complaints about elected councillors, appearing as an advocate in court and public inquiries; and defending claims for judicial review.

This wide experience gives him insight into the causes of disputes involving public bodies and how they can be resolved without the need for prolonged and costly litigation.

He served as an Assistant parliamentary Boundary Commissioner in the most recent review of parliamentary constituency boundaries. As an experienced Chair and decision maker, Simon is used to maintaining his independence, ensuring that all parties are treated fairly and are given an equal opportunity to engage with the mediation process.

Friendly, approachable and calm, Simon is an active listener and believes in putting parties at their ease. His experience as a Chair of professional standards panels means that he understands the stresses and pressures which parties to a dispute are under.

He is equally adept at communicating with parties who are appearing on their own behalf, as he is with those who are professionally represented.

Simon Barnes is a practising barrister and a non-practising solicitor with a background in local government and planning; and professional standards.

He worked as an in-house solicitor within local government for over 15 years and now practises at the independent Bar in that field. He combines his legal practice with sitting as a decision maker on professional standards panels for a wide range of organisations. This combination of public law practice and decision-making makes him uniquely qualified to mediate disputes involving public bodies.

Simon sits on professional standards committees and panels for a wide variety of organisations. Current appointments include:

• Chair of Fitness to practise panels at the Health and Care Professions Council
• Legally Qualified Chair at the Taxation Disciplinary Board
• Deputy Chair of the Disciplinary Committee of the National Register of Public Service Interpreters
• Legal Advisor to police misconduct hearings

He is also a member of:

• UK Environmental Law Association
• Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers