VLA Management Structure
VLA Management Board
The Strategy Management Group (SMG) performs this function and comprises the following members:
| Professor S Edwards | Chief Executive |
| Mr R Hancock | Veterinary Director |
| Mr C Morrey | Business Director |
| Professor J Morris | Director of Science Strategy |
| Professor C Thorns | Director of Specialist Scientific Services |
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VLA Advisory Board
Following the Defra review of its Agencies, an Advisory Board was established on 1st September 2003 to provide advice on strategic direction and plans to the SMG. The membership of this Board during the year was as follows:
| Professor S Edwards | Chief Executive |
| Mr R Hancock | Veterinary Director |
| Mr C Morrey | Business Director |
| Professor J Morris | Director of Science Strategy |
| Professor C Thorns | Director of Specialist Scientific Services |
| Ms T Daly | Defra Delivery Strategy Team (until 30 September 2005) |
| Mr M Murray | Defra Delivery Strategy Team (from 1 October 2005) |
| Professor D Smith | External Member |
| Professor U Kihm | External Member |
| Mrs J Goodger | Communications Manager |
As a consequence of the work undertaken by Defra in the review referred to
above, it was decided to replace the Advisory Board from 1 March 2006 with
an Ownership Board.
VLA Ownership Board
The Ownership Board was established in March 2006 as a top-level governance body, set up at the direction of the Secretary of State to oversee the activities of VLA. The role of the Board is to advise the Minister on all policy and operational matters relating to the Agency and to monitor on behalf of the
Minister, the Defra Management Board and the Devolved Administrations, the
performance, efficiency and financial and managerial regularity of the Agency.
Membership of the Board is as follows:
| Professor D Smith |
Chairman, External Member |
| Professor U Kihm | External Member |
| Professor J Preston | External member |
| Professor C J Gaskell | External Member |
| Professor S Edwards | Chief Executive, VLA |
| Mr A Burchell | Chief Operating Officer, Defra |
| Dr D Reynolds | Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra |
| Mr I Grattidge | Finance Director, Defra |
| Mr J Lowi | Defra Delivery Strategy Team |
| Mr A Robinson | Defra Laboratory Strategy Team |
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The Laboratories Strategy Committee
Arising from the recommendations of the Agency Review, Defra established a sub-committee of its Management Board, the Laboratories Strategy Committee on the 1st January 2003. This Committee provided strategic direction and oversaw the development and implementation of strategy for the three science Agencies including VLA. The composition of this Committee was as follows:
| Mr L Barker |
Chairman External Member (CEO of Hedra plc) |
| Mr M Addison | Director General - OSD, Defra |
| Professor H Dalton | Chief Scientific Adviser, Defra |
| Professor S Edwards | Chief Executive, VLA |
| Dr D Reynolds | Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra |
| Professor M Roberts | Chief Executive, CSL |
| Mr M Farrar | Chief Executive, CEFAS |
| Professor J Preston | External Member |
| Mr J Smellie | Defra Delivery Strategy Team |
| Mr I Grattidge | Finance Director, Defra |
As a consequence of the work being undertaken in Defra’s strategic review of its laboratories it was decided in July 2005 that this activity would be taken forward by a new body, The Laboratory Strategy Group (LSG) and the above body was therefore disbanded. As the range of options for VLA differed from the other two Agencies, it was agreed in February 2006 that the VLA Ownership Board should oversee this aspect. Therefore the LSG does not have a governance role in respect of VLA.
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