Claire Aston Email and Phone Number

My role is a Head of Service with direct line management responsibility for the Tax Office, comprising 10 full time members of staff, collecting approximately £45,000,000 of income and corporation tax per annum (2017/18 provisional outturn). I am also responsible for policy advice and implementing legislation to effect decisions made by the elected Members. Analysing risks to the Exchequer and taking mitigating action, including supporting the Commissioner of Taxation with cases which reach Tax Tribunal is a key component of my role. Another key responsibility is to provide government finance forecasts of tax receipts for the current financial year and over the medium term financial plan (5 years) and insightful commentary and analysis to support the understanding of politicians, senior FIG management and the general public and community groups. I work with colleagues across Treasury and Legal Services department on the annual Finance Bill e.g. Finance Bill 2017 made changes to the rates of Medical Services Tax from 1 January 2018. I have overall responsibility for the business plan, the office budget and the risk register for the Taxation function and contribute to the wider objectives of the Falkland Islands Government with an awareness of the political acceptability and practical implications of suggestions made by myself or members of my team and ensuring high quality output of all written output of the Office

Responsible for developments in the upstream tax regime in the UK Continental Shelf to ensure it is internationally competitive, enables investors to predict how their projects will perform over time, and simple to administer and comply with for Government and industry. In oil and gas it is extremely important that the tax regime encourages the maximum recovery of the nation's mineral reserves, and given the maturity of the UKCS, and the high cost environment, this is a particular challenge in the current business climate.Led the work on the Brownfield Allowance (BFA), and played a key role in the introduction of the Decommissioning Relief Deeds (DRDs). Co-ordinating the industry response to the Fiscal consultation launched by HM Treasury in the summer of 2014.

July 2008 - December 2009Local Government & Regions TeamResponsible for Local Government revenue financing, including fees and charges policy, council tax, Formula Grant, other specific and non-specific departmental grant funding, and reserves holdings.January 2010 - September 2011North Sea Oil and Shipping Tax policyResponsible for developing policy for maximising the economic recovery of oil and gas from the UKCS, including the Deep Water gas field allowance (which enabled the Laggan Tormore development to reach commercial sanction by Total and their partners), improvements to the Ring Fence Expenditure Supplement which enabled Statoil to sanction their Mariner development and dealing with the fallout of the 2011 SC rise.Lead HMT official on UK Tonnage Tax to help the UK flagged fleet remain viable against competition from tax havens overseas.

Trainee CIPFA accountant working in the financial Systems team. Led the accounts receivable (AR) reporting for the council, supported GL, AR and AP reconciliations and period end close as well as a one -off launch of the new e-procurement module.8 months spent on adult social care finance - budget monitoring for primary social care provision including nursing, residential, day and home care.