All RDAs across England are closing by March 2012
(see transition and closure section).
With our resources reducing steadily, this page has not been recently updated and the information below may not be current.
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Non-executive directors continuing to serve on the Board
26 July 2010
BIS News release
Mark Prisk, Minister for Business, today announced continued
terms of appointment to the Board of South West RDA.
Brian Robinson and Ellen Winser will serve from 14 December 2010
until the RDA closes. The Minister also announced one year’s
extension for Nick Buckland OBE who will accumulate 10 years
service on the Board.
The Minister commented:
“As we move toward a new framework for our
regional economies, it is important that the development agencies
are equipped with the leadership to ensure the transition period is
a smooth one.
“The skills and experience of these board
members will be a valuable asset during this time and I hope they
will continue to work with us to ensure an efficient evolutionary
process.”
Sir Harry Studholme said:
"All three board members have made
outstanding contributions to the South West RDA, bringing their
expertise in the worlds of business, education and local government
to bear on the Agency's work.
“Whilst RDAs are being phased out, we still
have an important programme of work to carry out over the next 20
months. It's heartening to know therefore that the Agency can count
on the support of Brian, Ellen and Nick as board members in this
challenging transitional period."
Notes to Editors
1. Regional Development Agency non-executive Board member posts
attract a remuneration of £8,666 per year for a minimum time
commitment of two days per month.
2. The continued terms for Brian Robinson and Ellen Winser are
up until the RDA closes. Nick Buckland has been granted one year’s
extension until December 2011. Final closure of RDAs is likely to
be completed by 31 March 2012 following legislation.
3. RDAs are business led organisations, promoting and
co-ordinating economic growth and development, enterprise and
regeneration.
4. The coalition government has made the decision to support the
creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships to replace RDAs. On that
basis the decision was made not to continue with further Board
member recruitment. The continued terms are necessary to ensure
that the RDA Chairs are able effectively to manage their Board
membership up until closure, and that membership does not fall
below the minimum requirement of eight, as stated in the Regional
Development Agencies Act 1998.
5. The original appointments were made following open
competition in accordance with the requirement set down in the
Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice. All
appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part
in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original
Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’
political activity (if any declared) to be made public.
6. Ellen Winser and Nick Buckland have not declared any
political activity undertaken during the past five years. Brian
Robinson is a County Councillor and District Councillor for the
Conservative party.
7. Nick Buckland holds a further ministerial appointment on the
Technology Strategy Board which attracts remuneration of £9,000 per
annum for a time commitment of 2 days a month. Brian Robinson and
Ellen Winser do not hold any further ministerial public
appointments.
Biographies
Brian Robinson, since joining South West RDA in 2007, has been
engaged actively in many areas becoming Chairman of the Rural
Advisory Group where he championed investment in rural broadband.
He has a track record of business development in financial services
before being elected councillor to Gloucestershire County and
Forest of Dean District. With business and local government
experience, Brian is actively engaging with the Strategic Leaders
Board and other groups to help shape effective support for South
West businesses during this period of transition to more local
structures.
Ellen Winser, after 25 years in the City where she was the first
woman to be taken into partnership by a London firm of stockbrokers
(James Capel & Co) and one of the first women Members of the
Stock Exchange, Ellen went long distance sailing. On her return,
Ellen became chairman of Liontrust Asset Management Plc from 1996
to 2004. She is now Chairman of the Governors of Truro and Penwith
College and is also Chairman of the Trustees of the National
Maritime Museum Cornwall, and a governor of the University of
Plymouth. She was Chairman of Sutton Harbour Holdings plc from 1997
until 2006, she was a director of Pendennis Shipyard Ltd until 2009
and was a director/trustee of Cornwall Care Ltd for eight years.
She became a Deputy Lieutenant for Cornwall in 2003.
Nick Buckland OBE lives in Cornwall. He spent 20 years in the IT
industry. In 1996 he took a career change taking an interest in a
number of activities. He is Chair of Governors of the University of
Plymouth, a board member of the Technology Strategy Board and
Chairman of Tamar Science Park. He holds a number of private sector
non-executive directorships in a variety of companies. Since 1989
he and his wife have run a working organic farm in Cornwall. He
holds a BSc in Maths, is a Fellow of the British Computer Society,
the Institute of Maths and its Applications, the RSA, and the
Chartered Institute of Management. He is a member of the Institute
of Directors and the Royal Institution. A Chartered Engineer,
Chartered Information Systems Practitioner, Chartered Manager and a
European Engineer, he was appointed OBE in the 2009 New Year
Honours List for services to Innovation & Technology.