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Search for new Coal Authority Chairperson begins

Energy Minister Charles Hendry today announced recruitment has begun for a new Chair of the Coal Authority. Dr Helen Mounsey’s period of office…

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Energy Minister Charles Hendry today announced recruitment has begun for a new Chair of the Coal Authority.

Dr Helen Mounsey’s period of office as Chair comes to an end in March 2013 and the Department are looking to appoint a new Chair from 1st April 2013.

Charles Hendry said:

“Dr Mounsey has been extremely successful as Chair of the Coal Authority for the last six years, and prior to that as a Non-Executive Director. Her expertise will be greatly missed and she will be a tough act to follow.

“This is a high profile role which requires not only the skills of a Chair but experience of the sectors that the Coal Authority works in.”

Full details are available on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website


Notes for editors

  1. The Coal Authority is a Department of Energy and Climate Change Non-Departmental Public Body.
  2. This appointment is being made in accordance with the requirements of the Code published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
  3. The appointment will commence on 1 April 2012 but we would anticipate the appointee having a handover period with the current Chair prior to this.
  4. The appointment is for 5 days a month and remuneration is currently £27,000 per annum.
  5. Dr Mounsey was originally appointed as a Non-Executive Board member of the Coal Authority for a five year period from 7 November 2002 and subsequently made Chair in October 2007. She joined the consulting practice of PriceWaterhouseCoopers in 1989, becoming an Associate Partner with IBM Business Consulting Services following the merger of the two organisations in October 2002. Since leaving IBM in January 2009, she has continued to work as an independent consultant in the utilities sector, in parallel to her role as Chair of the Authority.
  6. The Coal Authority was established by Parliament in 1994 with specific statutory responsibilities associated with:  * licensing coal mining operations in Britain  * handling coal mining subsidence damage claims * property and historic liability issues, such as treatment of minewater discharges * providing public access to information on past and present coal mining operations * the provision of emergency call-out service for reported surface hazards.

Further details can be obtained on the DECC Coal website.   7. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. No such activity was declared. 

 

Updates to this page

Published 28 May 2012