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Building Standards Advisory Committee
03/10/2007
Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson today announced five reappointments to the Building Standards Advisory Committee.
- Dr Stephen Garvin is the Director (Construction) of the Building Research Establishment in Scotland and has developed an extensive knowledge of building construction technology. Dr Garvin has a sound knowledge of the Scottish construction industry and much of the research with which he has been involved has related to the review and development of building standards and regulations.
- Professor Bimal Kumar is a highly experienced academic who has spent his professional life teaching and researching in construction industry-related subjects. He has in-depth knowledge of the Scottish construction industry and construction technology and, for 10 years to 2001, lectured in structural engineering at Strathclyde University's Civil Engineering Department.
- Ian Paterson is a structural engineer with extensive experience in the construction industry and he has been involved in the design and management of numerous, large scale building projects. Mr Paterson is very involved in the advancement of the engineering profession through his involvement in the Institution of Structural Engineers and has had involvement with the Scottish Building Standards Agency in the development of systems of Certification of Structural Design, a key aspect of the new system of building standards in Scotland.
- Mervyn Toshner is a local authority building standards manager and a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He possesses extensive knowledge of both the Scottish construction industry as well as a high level of expertise in construction technology. Among his numerous professional activities, he is a founder member of South Ayrshire Access Panel.
- Bryan Woodley is a chartered engineer and is the Chief Executive of UK Timber Frame Association. He possesses an extensive knowledge of the Scottish construction industry and a broad knowledge of construction technology with particular emphasis on sustainable construction and energy conservation. Mr Woodley was also a member of the Government's Sustainable Building Task Group.
The reappointments will be for three years and will run from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010.
The posts are unpaid, other than the reimbursement of necessary travelling expenses, and requires the members to attend an average of three main Committee meetings each year. The members are also expected to become involved in additional, technical working groups related to the development of new building standards. The reappointed members hold no other Ministerial appointments.
The remit of the Committee is set out in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and is to advise Scottish Ministers on the exercise of their functions under the Act; keep under review the operation of regulations under the Act and make recommendations to Ministers in connection with the regulations. The Committee may also advise Ministers on any question relating to their functions under the Act which Ministers may refer to the Committee. The Committee is intended to provide a technical input to proposals for regulations, but with a strong remit to consider both the potential effects of the legislation and its interaction with related legislation.
Ministerial public appointments are made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's 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 there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Within the last five years, the reappointed members have not been involved in any political activity.