Temporary further education college chairs appointed
10 November 2008
The Department for Employment and Learning today announced the appointment of temporary chairs to four Further Education (FE) College governing bodies.
The four temporary chairs have been named as: Peter McNaney, appointed to Belfast Metropolitan College; Kay Collins, appointed to the Northern Regional College; Herbert Faulkner, appointed to the North West Regional College and Joseph Martin, who has been appointed to the South West College.
The FE College governing bodies are responsible for securing the efficient and effective management of the college, agreeing and monitoring its strategic direction, appointing the college’s senior staff and ensuring that the college acts as a responsible employer. The position of the chair is not remunerated.
These appointments are being made on a temporary basis until permanent appointments are made. It is expected that the process to recruit permanent chairs will commence in early 2009. The appointments follow a selection process monitored by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland under its good practice Kitemark scheme. This process involved a selection panel, including an independent assessor, as required under the Commissioner’s code. The final decision on the appointment, however, rested with Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Mr. McNaney is currently the Chief Executive of Belfast City Council. He is a solicitor with over 20 years experience and previously served for eight years as the Council’s Director of Legal Services. He is a member of the Northern Ireland Economic Development Forum and the Belfast Workforce Development Forum. He Chairs the Community Safety Partnership for Belfast and is a member of the Strategic Leadership Board which is overseeing the reform of local government in Northern Ireland. He has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.
Mrs Collins was recently appointed as a partner within the audit and accounting services department of Goldblatt McGuigan, a local accountancy and business services firm. She has extensive financial and audit experience and is responsible for delivering business, finance and audit services to a range of public and private sector clients. She was a member of the North East Institute governing body from 1998 and was appointed to the governing body of Northern Regional College August 2007. Mrs Collins is also a member of the Northern Ireland Technical Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. She has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.
Following his retirement from the Du Pont company where he was the Financial and Support Services Manager with responsibility for Managing Change including working and negotiating with Trade Unions, Mr Faulkner has been actively involved in anumber of Public Bodies. He has been a Member, Vice-Chair and Chair of the Western Education and Library Board. Currently he isan Independent Review Panel Chair of the Health and Personal Social Services Complaints Procedures, Vice-Chair of the Youth Council for Northern Ireland and Chair of Board of Governors of Strathfoyle Nursery School, The Fountain Primary School and Lisneal College. Mr Faulkner was appointed OBE in 2001 for Services to Education and the Community. He has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.
Mr Martin was Chief Executive of the Western Education and Library Board from 1995 until his retirement in 2004, having previously been senior education officer at WELB. In his capacity as leader of this large public sector organisation, he was responsible for the development and implementation of education strategies across the education sector. Mr Martin also chaired the Northern Ireland Classroom 2000 project board (ICT implementation) and the Committee for Early Professional Development of teachers. He has broad experience of education administration at a senior level and of public sector corporate governance issues. He has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.
2.These appointments were made on merit and political activity played no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published.
3. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned
