The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today announced that the Minister, Michael McGimpsey, has re-appointed Mr William Gillespie for the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2012.
Notes to Editors:
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was established on 1 July 2006 and replaced the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland. It was established with powers granted under the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board (FRSB) is responsible for Fire and Rescue Services in Northern Ireland. The statutory framework within which the FRSB operates includes six core duties namely, the promotion of fire safety; fire fighting; rescuing people trapped in road traffic accidents; protecting and rescuing people from other hazards; acting as the enforcement authority for new safety requirements; and, emergency planning.
The board of the FRSB consists of a non-executive Chair, the Chief Fire Officer and ten other non-executive members, four of whom will be District Councillors, nominated by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA).
The Chair of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board receives annual remuneration of £23,742.
The appointment was made with the approval of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are no specific qualifications for appointment. Each person is appointed on merit to act in a personal capacity and not to represent any particular interest or group.
The appointment was made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointment for Northern Ireland.
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. Mr Gillespie declared that he had not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
Appointment
Mr William Fulton (Bill) Gillespie OBE TD JP DL MBA FCIOB lives in Tandragee, Craigavon, Co Armagh. Mr Gillespie was the Chairman of John Sinton Ltd from 1990 until 2003 and was previously Managing Director, Company Accountant and Secretary of the company. He was formerly Chairman of the Fire Authority of NI from January 2003 to June 2006. He holds one other public appointment as Chair of the Agricultural Wages Board for which he receives £244 per meeting. He is an Arbitrator with the Labour Relations Agency and Lead Negotiator with the National Joint Council (Fire). Mr Gillespie is a member of the Board of Governors of Banbridge Academy and Chairman of Tandragee Primary School. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Company Accountants, a Fellow of the Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and holds a Masters in Business Administration. He was initially appointed Chair of FRSB from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2008. He has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.
