Appointment of two district council members to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board

The appointment of two District Council members to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board (NIFRSB) has been announced.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today announced that the Minister responsible, Michael McGimpsey, has agreed to the appointment of two District Council members to the NIFRSB. These appointments are necessary because two members appointed in July 2006 (Alderman Arnold Hatch and Cllr Daithi McKay) were required to stand down from NIFRSB when seeking election in the recent NI Assembly elections.

The re-instatement of Alderman George Arnold Hatch and the appointment of Councillor John (Sean) Brendan Clarke are for the period 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2009.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) is responsible for providing fire and rescue services across Northern Ireland and is funded by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. It is accountable to the Department and is managed by a board, which comprises a non-executive Chair, the Chief Fire Officer and 10 non-executive members, four of whom are District Councillors nominated by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA). The remaining six non-executive members have been appointed under the Department’s Public Appointments procedures with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment. Each person is appointed to act in a personal capacity and not to represent any particular interest or group.
2. The appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointment for Northern Ireland. The final decision on the appointments rested with the Minister.
3. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. Alderman Hatch and Councillor Clarke both declared that they had engaged in political activity in the last five years.
4. Members are not paid but are entitled to claim expenses for work carried out on the Board’s behalf.

For media enquiries please contact the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 90520575.

APPOINTMENTS

Alderman George Arnold Hatch, lives in Portadown. He is currently a member of Craigavon Borough Council. He is semi-retired having previously been Proprietor/Managing Director of Craigavon Technology & Engineering Ltd, Portadown, from 1983 to 2004. Alderman Hatch had previously been a member of the NI Fire Authority since October 2001and the newly created NIFRS Board which came into being on 1 July 2006. He is a member of the Rent Assessment Panel for which he receives £198 per day. He is also a member of the Governing Bodies of Further Education for which he receives travelling expenses only.

Councillor John (Sean) Brendan Clarke, lives in Drumlee, Omagh, Co Tyrone. He has been a full time councillor since 1995, having been first elected to Mid Tyrone District Electoral Area in 1989. Mr Clarke has served on all council standing committees and has particular interest in rural community and development.