The operating costs of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) have increase by almost 10% in a single year, according to the body's latest annual report.

The report, published yesterday (25 June), revealed that total costs at the regulator had increased to £3.9m for 2007, up from £3.6m in 2006.

The upturn in costs was attributed mostly to an increase in staff numbers – with the BSB naming 49 staff, compared to 42 for the year – as well as an increase in service requirements including IT.

In other findings, the report showed than the number of self-employed QCs has dropped by 55 to 1,223, while male barristers declined from 8,381 to 8,327. Additionally, the number of chambers has dropped from 346 to 334 due to closures and consolidation, with most of the losses coming in London.

The annual report covers the BSB's second full year in operation, where the Bar's regulatory arm focused its efforts on three core areas: education, training and qualifications; standards, guidance and quality; and complaints and discipline.

Last year the body undertook projects including a review of the Code of Conduct and the Bar Vocational Course as well as conducting its first major piece of research in conjunction with pollsters MORI on public perceptions of barristers.

BSB chair Ruth Evans commented: "This report demonstrates the Board's continuing commitment to evidence-based, independent regulation with the public interest as its focus. 2007 was our second year of operation and one in which we put in train a programme of work to ensure the core building blocks of professional regulation – training and education, the Code of Conduct, our complaints and disciplinary system – remain fit for purpose for the modern Bar."