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The initial Board, selected following a comprehensive selection
process, will consist of the chairman and directors representing the
three founding members plus the Greater Peterborough Partnership (GPP);
Councillor Ben Franklin (PCC), Richard Harrington (EP), Marco
Cereste (EEDA) and Allan Arnott (GPP).
In addition, four non executive
directors have been appointed. Matthew Bullock, Angus Kennedy, Dr
Clive Morton and Maria Stafford will take up their positions with
immediate effect. Dr Clive Morton has also been named as the deputy
chairman.
A recent government announcement
confirmed that Sir Brian is to be awarded a life peerage.
The Board’s first major task will be
to recruit and appoint a chief executive. In the meantime Patrick
O’Leary will continue his work as interim chief executive.
Sir Brian Mawhinney said: “It is a
great honour to be asked to chair the URC and I am delighted to have
this opportunity to continue my relationship with Peterborough.
Having contributed to the thinking which resulted in the city’s
existing Masterplan, I now look forward to working with others to
start effecting positive change.
“Everyone needs to understand,
however, that the prospect of success that we all want for the city
does not lie only with the URC. Good things will happen only if all
of us work together to insist that they do.”
Councillor Ben Franklin,
Peterborough City Council leader, said: “I am excited about these
new appointments, and that Sir Brian will be leading the work of the
URC. I am confident that these people bring with them a vibrant mix
of skills and knowledge. All of the partners involved have been
tremendously encouraged by the positive response to our recruitment
process and that we have been able to select a board with a huge
amount of experience, local knowledge and commitment to
Peterborough.”
Richard Harrington, English
Partnerships area director – East of England, said: “English
Partnerships is very pleased that the Board is now taking shape and
can rapidly get to grips with achieving city centre regeneration and
the promotion of Peterborough for inward investment and growth.”
Richard Ellis, chairman of EEDA,
said: "The East of England Development Agency is delighted that the
URC Board, led by Sir Brian, is now up and running. EEDA has always
considered Peterborough's growth as a regional priority and we
believe that, with the addition of the URC, Peterborough can look
forward to achieving new developments and new jobs of national
quality and significance.”
Dr John Bridge, interim URC
chairman, said: “In my view the chosen candidates make this one of
the strongest URC Boards in the country.”
Dr. Bridge will continue to support
the Board during the next few months while the establishment of the
new company is completed.
May 2005
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