Culture Secretary Appoints Four New Board Members at the Sports Grounds Safety Authority
Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale, has appointed Joyce Cook OBE, Susan Johnson OBE, Philip Kolvin QC and David Mackinnon as Board Members of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority for three years from 8 February 2016
Biographical details
Joyce Cook OBE
Joyce is the founding and Managing Director of the Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFÉ) and Chair of Level Playing Field, a charity that campaigns for disabled sports fans in the UK. Joyce is also a member of the Football Association’s Inclusivity Advisory Board. Joyce was a member of the London 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority’s Built Environment Access Panel and a consultant to LOCOG. She was a member of the FA’s Disability Equality Advisory Group and is an expert advisor to EPAS, the Council of Europe and its Disability Committees on Sport and Women and Girls and other governmental bodies and sits on various diversity and access groups. Joyce is also active in the wider equality arena as a board member at FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) and a Director of Women in Football, a UK network of professional women working in and around the football industry who support and champion their peers and aim to improve women’s representation at all levels of the game. She is an expert on accessible stadia and the built environment for sporting events and continues to provide specialist advice to UEFA and FIFA and is the author of the UEFA and CAFE Good Practice Guide – Access for All.
Susan Johnson OBE
Susan has recently retired as Chief Executive at County Durham and Darlington Fire & Rescue Service. Her appointment in 2005 meant she was the first woman and non-uniformed chief executive to lead a fire and rescue Service in the United Kingdom. Susan holds a first-class honours degree in Business Studies and an MBA from Durham University. She previously held a senior position in the Regional Development Agency for Yorkshire and Humber following a career in international marketing in the information technology sector. Susan has held a number of non-executive and trustee roles in the private, public and not for profit sectors including Greggs plc, Legacy Trust UK and Durham University. She is also a Commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Non-Exec Director at The Planning Inspectorate.
Philip Kolvin QC
Philip is a nationally renowned legal expert in licensing work. He became a barrister in 1985 and was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 2009. He is Head of Cornerstone Barristers, which is one of the top barristers chambers in London specialising in licensing, planning, property and regulatory law. Philip is a Patron and past Chairman of the Institute of Licensing which is the professional body for licensing practitioners. He is also a past Chair of Purple Flag, a national scheme promoting safe and diverse night time economies, run by the Association of Town Centre Management, and of Best Bar None, a national scheme promoting safe bars, run by the British Institute of Innkeeping. Philip acted as a co-opted expert to the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 for the Olympic Games, dealing with licensing issues. He is the author and editor of a number of textbooks in the field of regulatory law.
David Mackinnon
David is Regional Head of Operations for Jockey Club Racecourses South West Region, incorporating Cheltenham, Exeter, Warwick and Wincanton racecourses. The role sees him responsible for delivering operational high standards across the four racecourses. His most recent priority has been the successful delivery of the recently completed £45m development at Cheltenham racecourse. Prior to entering into racecourse management with Managing Director roles at Sandown Park and Royal Windsor Racecourse David worked for three years with the sport’s regulatory body (then the Jockey Club) as deputy manager of the Racecourse Department. He also spent three years as a trainee chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand following the completion of his degree in International Agribusiness Management
SGSA Board Member roles are remunerated at a rate of £265 per day, in return for 8 days per year on average.
These appointments have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Mr Kolvin has declared that he is a member of the Labour Party.