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National Park appointments extended
27/11/2009
Ten members of the National Park Authorities (seven for Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and three for the Cairngorms) have had their appointments extended. These appointments were made in the summer; however the announcement has been unavoidably delayed.
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority
Meriel Young is a self-employed consultant and chartered marketer specialising in recreational and environmental management, communications and education. She has broad experience in project management across the public and private sector in community greenspace planning, urban forestry, transport and health policy. She has a young family and lives near Edinburgh. This appointment has been extended from July 9 2009 until January 7 2010.
Dr Bob Aitken from Edinburgh is a freelance research consultant, working in recreation, tourism and countryside planning, with a particular specialism in mountain path management. Bob has also written guidebooks to the west Highland way and the Argyll Forest Park. This appointment has been extended from July 8 2009 until January 7 2010.
Sir Peter Hutchison from Stirlingshire was Chairman of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Working Party and was a member of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Interim Committee. He was Deputy Convener of the National Park Authority from July 2002 until July 24 2006. He is a former Chairman of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Forestry Commission, and a former member of the Scottish Tourist Board and the British Waterways Board. This appointment has been extended from July 9 2009 until January 7 2010.
Isabel Glasgow is Chair of the Firth of Clyde Forum and Chair of SSMEI Clyde Pilot Project. She was, for many years, Chair of the Scottish Council for National Parks and member of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Interim Committee. She lives in Ayrshire and works from Glasgow during the week. This appointment has been extended from July 8 2009 until October 1 2010.
Terry Levinthal is the Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, an environment non-government organisation committed to the improvement of the built and cultural environment of Scotland. He is an Urban Designer, and has studied architecture, environmental design and planning in Canada and the UK. He is the Chairman of the Planning and Access Committee. He was formerly the Vice-Chairman of Built Environment Forum Scotland and has been a Board member of a number of charitable bodies. This appointment has been extended from July 8 2009 until October 1 2010.
Kate Sankey has a background in environmental and conservation science, education and community-based learning. She lives in Stirlingshire where she runs an organic farm and learning centre on the edge of Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve. She is Vice Chair of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Community Partnership; an elected member of the Scottish Sustainable Development Forum steering group and Chair of Forth Environment Link. She is the former Depute Director of the Division of Academic Innovation and Continuing Education (to 2006) at the University of Stirling and before that she was the Chief Executive of the Scottish Environmental Education Council. This appointment has been extended from July 8 2009 until October 1 2010.
David Hughes Hallett is a self-employed Consultant and Chartered Surveyor; principally carrying out work related to rural land, heritage and the voluntary sector. This work includes assessment and monitoring of projects, delivering training courses, mediation for dispute resolution. David is a Local Adviser for Scottish Natural Heritage (Forth and Borders Area) and a Director of Fife Environment Trust. David is also a board member of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator receiving remuneration of £3600 per annum. This appointment has been extended from July 24 2009 until October 1 2010.
All these posts are part-time and attract a remuneration of £199.35 per day.
The time commitment for Members is two to three days per month.
Cairngorms National Park Authority
Professor Susan Walker OBE is a specialist in water and land. She is currently a board member of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and chair of its North Region Board. She is an adviser to the Deer Commission for Scotland and the Grampian Area of Scottish Natural Heritage and a member of Waterwatch Scotland. She is also a board member of Scottish Environment Protection Agency for which she receives £6374 p.a. in remuneration. This appointment has been extended from March 24 2010 until September 30 2010.
Anne MacLean OBE has knowledge of Human Resource issues, disability rights and awareness and is a board member of the Highland Society for Blind People and the Royal National Institute of the Blind Scotland. She served as an Assessor for the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland for six years until June 2007. She chairs the CNPA Staffing and Recruitment Committee and sits on the Staff Consultative Forum. In January 2009 she was appointed Convener of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland for which she receives remuneration of £3600 p.a. This appointment has been extended from March 24 2010 until September 30 2010.
Duncan Bryden is Convener of Planning for the Cairngorms National Park Authority and lives on the northern edge of the Park. He works throughout Scotland as self employed rural development consultant and is a university lecturer. He has degrees in Ecological Science and Heritage Management and is a member of the Forestry Commission Scotland's Highland & Islands Forestry Forum. An experienced mountaineer, he has a keen interest in the nature and culture of Scotland. This appointment has been extended from March 24 2010 until September 30 2010.
These posts are part-time and attract a remuneration of £199.82 per day. The time commitment for Members is two to three days per month.
The extensions to these Ministerial public appointments are made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
In accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity within the last 5 years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. Anne MacLean carries out political activities in respect to canvassing on behalf of the Scottish Labour party or helping at elections; and is currently the Chair of the Badenoch & Strathspey branch of the party.
The National Park Authority boards' purpose is to deliver the four statutory aims for the National Park in a collective and co-ordinated way.
The National Park's statutory aims are to:
- conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area;
- promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area;
- promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public
- promote sustainable economic and social development of the area's communities.