Press release: Appointments to the Board of the Environment Agency

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, has appointed Judith Batchelar OBE, Robert Gould, John Lelliott OBE and Caroline Mason CBE for first terms to the Board of the Environment Agency. He has also reappointed Lynne Frostick and Gill Weeks OBE for second terms to the Board.

Robert Gould’s and John Lelliott’s appointments will run from 1 February 2018 until 31 January 2021. Judith Batchelar and Caroline Mason’s appointments will run from 1 April 2018 until 31 March 2021. Gill Weeks and Lynne Frostick’s reappointments run from 8 September 2017 until 7 September 2020 and 6 March 2018 until 15 March 2021 respectively.

Secretary of State Michael Gove said:

I am delighted to welcome John, Robert, Caroline and Judith. They will bring a strong and broad mix of skills and experience to the Environment Agency.

I am also thrilled that Gill and Lynne will be continuing to help us with meeting the challenges ahead.

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

I am looking forward to working with John, Robert, Caroline and Judith on some of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. It was a highly competitive selection process and they will each bring a broad range of experience and expertise to the Environment Agency.

All appointments to the Environment Agency Board are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. The appointments comply with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Board members provide non-executive leadership challenge and support to the Environment Agency’s executive through regular Board meetings, committees and groups. They also undertake individual lead roles on relevant issues and with local operational teams.

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. It has major responsibilities in flood management, water resources and quality, climate change, land quality, chemicals, pollution prevention and control, waste, conservation and biodiversity, fisheries conservation, air quality and navigation.

There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. All the appointees have confirmed that they have not undertaken any significant political activity during the past 5 years apart from Robert Gould, who is a member of West Dorset District Council and a former leader of both Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council.

Environment Agency Board members receive remuneration of £350 per day. Judith Batchelar, Robert Gould, John Lelliott and Caroline Mason will each receive £16,800 per year based on a time commitment of four days per month. Gill Weeks will receive £21,000 per year based on a time commitment of five days per month. Lynne Frostick will receive £25,200 per year based on a time commitment of six days per month.

Biographical details

Judith Batchelar OBE

Judith Batchelar is Director of Sainsbury’s Brand, Corporate Responsibility and Public Affairs at J Sainsbury plc, where she has worked since 2004. She previously worked for Safeway, Marks and Spencer, Mars Confectionary and Bass plc. Judith is also a Co-Chair of the Agri-food Technology Leadership Council, an Industrial Governor of the British Nutrition Foundation and an Ambassador for the Woodland Trust. Judith was appointed OBE in 2015 for services to farming and the food industry.

Lynne Frostick

Professor Lynne Frostick is both a chartered geologist and a geographer with an academic background in environmental science. She was Professor of Physical Geography at Hull University from 1996 to 2014 and is now Professor Emerita. She has published over 100 papers and books on environmental physics, modelling and hydraulic engineering. She was the first female Honorary Secretary (1988 – 1991) and second female President (2008-10) of the Geological Society of London. She was a member of the North East Regional Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (1997 – 2006) and a leading member of the 2007 independent Hull Flood Review Group. In 2009, she was named both Yorkshire’s environmental champion and Woman of Outstanding Achievement for leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She chaired the Government’s Expert Group for Women in STEM for 8 years and sat on the Athena Swan committee based in the Royal Society. She has been awarded an honorary DSc by both Royal Holloway University, London and the University of Hull. Lynne joined the Board of the Environment Agency in 2015.

Robert Gould

Robert Gould was Leader of Dorset County Council from 2014 to 2017 and a member from 2009 to 2017. He has been a member of West Dorset District Council since 2004 and was Leader from 2004 to 2014. Robert was a member of the Local Government Association’s Improvement and Innovation Board from 2015 to 2017. He previously managed the family farm after working in industry and property management.

John Lelliott OBE

John Lelliott retired as Chief Financial Officer of the Crown Estate in 2016. He is currently a Board Member of the Covent Garden Market Authority where he chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. He is also Chair of the Natural Capital Coalition and Non-Executive Director of the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Foundation Trust where he chairs the finance committee and is a member of the audit committee. John was appointed OBE in 2017 for services to the Crown Estate and the voluntary sector.

Caroline Mason CBE

Caroline Mason is Chief Executive of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, one of the UK’s largest independent grant-making foundations. She was previously Chief Operating Officer of Big Society Capital and Chief Operating Officer of Charity Bank. Before that she was co-founder and COO of Investing for Good, an enterprise offering social investment advice. Caroline is also a Board Member of the European Venture Philanthropy Association. Caroline was appointed CBE in 2013 for services to social investment.

Gill Weeks OBE

Gill Weeks is an industry expert within the field of waste and resource management. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and a Chartered Environmentalist. Gill joined the Board of the Environment Agency in 2014. She currently chairs the Environment and Business Committee and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee. Gill is also the Board lead on waste and industrial processes. From 2006 to 2013 Gill was Regulatory Affairs Director at Veolia Environmental Services and was acting Policy Director at Environmental Services Association 2010-11. Gill was appointed OBE in 2011 for services to the waste management sector.