NEW MEMBERS OF WATERVOICE NORTH WEST

28 Apr 2003 02:45 PM

Philip Fletcher, the Director General of Water Services, has appointed four new members to WaterVoice North West from 1 May 2003. They are:

Mrs Alison Dumont
Miss Abida Niaz
Mrs Christine Rice
Mr Stephen Walls

In addition one member has been re-appointed. He is:

Mr Brian Armstrong

Commenting on the appointments, the Chairman, Maurice Terry, said:

"I am very pleased to announce these appointments which add further knowledge and experience to the WaterVoice North West Committee."

Notes to Editors

1. WaterVoice North West represents the interests of customers of United Utilities Water (formerly known as North West Water).

2. WaterVoice North West is one of ten WaterVoice Committees (the Ofwat Customer Service Committees set up under the Water Industry Act 1991 by the Director General of Ofwat). There are nine WaterVoice Committees in England and a Committee for Wales.

3. WaterVoice:

- Investigates and resolves complaints;

- Makes sure that the companies are aware of, and responsive to, concerns about the range and quality of services available; and

- Represents customers' interests to the Director General so that he can take customer concerns into account in making his decisions.

4. Biographical details on all members of the Committee are attached.

5. These appointments fall outside the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments but the Director General acts as if the Commissioner's Code of Practice applied.

6. Members are part-time and unpaid, but expenses may be claimed. Members come from a broad range of backgrounds and are appointed in a personal capacity based on their skills and experience to represent all water customers and not as the representative of a particular interest group.

7. In reviewing WaterVoice membership, the Director General aims to give new people with fresh ideas the opportunity to represent customers' interests, while still maintaining continuity and experience. He reviews and appoints members in consultation with the Committee Chairman. Members are appointed for a term of up to three years, and are eligible for re-appointment.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO THE WATERVOICE REGIONAL MANAGER, ANDREW WHITE ON: 0161 236 6112

Ofwat and WaterVoice press notices are available on the Internet and can be found on Ofwat's home page at www.ofwat.gov.uk

WaterVoice North West
Membership as of 1 May 2003

Chairman
Mr Maurice Terry
Independent Business Consultant. Retired Executive, Shell International Chemical Company; 30 years experience at senior levels within the (international) petrochemical industry;(first appointed 26 February 1997; time commitment twelve days per month (includes four days as WaterVoice Council Chairman; remuneration £30,796 p.a.).

Members
Mr Brian Armstrong
Retired Managing Director, Carrs Milling Industries plc. Vice Chairman, School Governing Body; Chairman,Carlisle Education Business Partnership; Non Exec Director Carlisle NHS Trust; (Cumbria) (first appointed 1 May 2000).

Mrs Anne Bradbury
Senior Physiotherapist; personal and professional understanding of needs of the disabled; registered blind;(Cheshire) (first appointed 1 May 1995).

Mrs Julie Catterall
Dyslexia Support Tutor, part time, Blackburn College; Postgraduate Research Student, University of Central Lancashire; (Lancashire) (first appointed 1 May 1998).

Mr Peter Cole
Retired Financial Controller, Marconi Marine (VSEL) Ltd. Former Non - Executive Director, Furness Hospital NHS Trust; Fellow Institute of Financial Accountants; Fellow Association of Accounting Technicians; (Cumbria)(first appointed 1 May 2001).

Mrs Alison Dumont

Headteacher (retiring July 2003), Ivegill Church of England School; teacher since 1967 in Infant, Primary and Secondary Schools in Penrith and Carlisle; (Cumbria) (first appointed 1 May 2003).

Mr Brian Linfield
Part-time Carer for disabled wife. Ex HM Forces, Army; Magistrate; Lay Chairman, NHS Complaints Procedure; Lay Member, UKCP Complaints and Appeals Panel; part-time Interviewer for the Office of National Statistics; self-employed Customer Services Consultant; Disability Member - The Appeals Service Disability Appeal Tribunal; (Lancashire) (first appointed 1 May 1998).

Miss Abida Niaz
Police Race Relations Officer; former Housing Association Community Housing Officer; former Magistrate; Member, Racial Equality Council; Mediator, Rochdale Mediation Services; Member, Greater Manchester Board, National Probation Service; former Prison Visitor and School Governor; (Lancashire) (first appointed 1 May 2003).

Mrs Susan O'Brien
Former Lecturer in Law, Queens University, Belfast; former Crown Prosecutor, Northampton; Solicitor of the Supreme Court,1983; Councillor, Wennington Parish Council; Church Warden, St Wlifred's Melling; Chairman, Lunesdale Decorating & Fine Arts Society; LLB (Hons), Brunel University; Certificate in Interpersonal Skills for Volunteers; Postgraduate Certificate in Environmental Law; former Volunteer Advisor for Citizens' Advice Bureau, Maidstone & Northampton;(Lancashire) (first appointed 1 May 2001).

Mr Alan Parr
Retired Project Manager, Girobank and other businesses; (Merseyside) (first appointed 1 May 1998).

Mrs Yvonne Potter
Part time Clerical Assistant to External Examinations Officer in Cheshire. Magistrate on the Warrington Bench; Chairman of the Family Panel 1999-2002; member of the Magistrates in the Community Panel; Chairman of Guiding Development for Cheshire Forest Guide Association 1996-2001; (Cheshire) (first appointed 1 May 2001).

Mrs Christine Rice

Environmental Marketing Consultant (Transport & Travel), Salford University; former Director of Marketing with the Tidy Britain Group and other companies; former OPCS Social Researcher; Member of both the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Public Relations; Co-opted Member, Lancashire County Council Standards Committee; (Greater Manchester) (first appointed 1 May 2003).

Ms Jean Suggitt
Employed by the National Probation Service to assist offenders leaving prison; previously worked in resettlement projects for people experiencing homelessness and East Lancashire Careers Services; (Lancashire); (first appointed 1 May 1998).

Mr Stephen Walls

Chartered Engineer and Managing Director of James Walker Engineering Services Ltd; over 30 years experience in Public & Private Companies; Member of the CBI's North West Regional Council; former NW CSC Member 1992-94;(Cumbria) (first appointed 1 May 2003).

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