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Appointment of Deputy Chair to the Environment Agency Board

   

Information Bulletin

Ref: 195/09
Date: 19 August 2009

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Hilary Benn has appointed Andrew Brown as Deputy Chair of the Environment Agency Board.

The appointment is being made to replace Ted Cantle who retired from the Board at the end of last year.

Andrew has been a member of the Environment Agency Board since 2006 and has a strong background in conservation and biodiversity.  He was previously the Chief Executive of English Nature and of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

This appointment is made by the Secretary of State on recommendation from the Chairman of the Environment Agency, in consultation with sponsoring Minister Jim Fitzpatrick and in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.

The appointment is for one year. The salary is  £20,691 pro rata based on 5 days per month. In addition there is responsibility allowance of £4,137 per annum.

Notes to editors

  1. The appointment has been made in accordance with the code laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
  2. The Commissioner is independent of the Government and was appointed to follow up certain recommendations of the Nolan Committee. The intention of the Code is to provide an efficient and transparent appointments system in which both candidates and the public can have confidence. More details concerning the Commission and the Code are available at www.ocpa.gov.uk
  3. As required by the Commissioner of Public Appointments we confirm that 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.
  4. The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body, set up under the Environment Act 1995 to take an integrated approach to environmental protection and enhancement in England and Wales. It has major responsibilities for management and regulation of the water environment, and for controlling industrial pollution and waste.
  5. Board Members oversee the operations of the Environment Agency and are answerable to Ministers. Their primary aim is “to protect and improve the environment and make a contribution towards delivery of sustainable development through the integrated management of air, land and water”. For further information visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk
  6. Biographical details:

Andy has a Zoology and Environmental Studies degree from Cardiff University after which he undertook research on freshwater ecology at Rutland Water, Leicestershire, and was awarded a PhD. He worked at Sussex University on water linked diseases before becoming a university lecturer in northern Nigeria and researching the ecological changes associated with a new irrigation reservoir. Andy then held a series of posts at the Nature Conservancy Council eventually becoming the Chief Officer of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee for the UK and subsequently the Chief Executive of English Nature.

He currently splits his time between being a Board member of the Environment Agency; working overseas on environmental and conservation projects; voluntary work with various NGOs and his research interest in freshwater Chironomidae (Diptera).

Andy has been the Chair of the UK Biodiversity Information Group, Chair of the IUCN UK Committee, Vice Chair of the National Biodiversity Network Trust, Member of the Rural Climate Change Forum and a Member of the World Heritage Site Review Panel. He is a Council member of the RSPB and Chair of their Conservation Committee, a Trustee of the Invertebrate Conservation Trust, a Fellow of the Linnean Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Biology.  Andy has not declared any political activity.

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Page published: 19 August 2009