John Hall has been appointed as the sector company chair representing horticulture on the new Levy Board UK, with Janet Bainbridge representing potatoes.

Defra this week confirmed that Hall and Bainbridge would be among the six sector chairs, with John Bridge (pictured) as the overall chairman. The new board will meet for the first time on March 5 and 6.

Hall is an independent business consultant who has held a number of senior roles in horticultural businesses in West Sussex. He has been an active member of the West Sussex Growers Association for 30 years, and has served as both chairman and president of the organisation. He has also served on the NFU Board for Horticulture, as well as being an HDC councillor and chair of the Protected Crops Panel.

Janet Bainbridge is a professor of biotechnology and food science, and has wide experience in higher education management, in the food manufacturing sector and as a company chief executive.

She has been a member of the BPC since 2004 and chairs the organisation’s R&D committee.

In addition to Bridge and the six sector chairs, three other independent members were also named to take the full complement up to 10. They are Christopher Bones, Lorraine Clinton and Clare Dodgson.

John Bridge said: “This is a very strong team which will ensure that Levy Board UK makes a difference: a difference which will be felt by levy payers and which will drive significant efficiencies through key sectors of the agricultural and horticultural industries.”

HDC chairman Colin Harvey welcomed Hall’s appointment. “I have already spoken to John and congratulate him on his appointment,” he said. Everyone at the HDC looks forward to assisting him in every way to ensure a smooth transition to enable continuity of delivery to growers. With John’s background I am sure he will champion this ethos.”

Bridge was also speaking at the NFU conference this week at a meeting entitled ‘The Future of the Levy Boards.’ Outlining the timetable for Levy Board UK’s official formation, Bridge explained that the documents would be going out for consultation in March, and would head to parliament for approval in the last couple of months of this year. All changes to the levy structure must be in place by March 31 2008.

“The new board will be looking to present value for money, co-ordination - above all the new system needs to be close to the levy payers. We can’t just pay lip service to this,” Bridge promised.

Asked how quickly levy payers could expect to see a noticeable difference in operations, Bridge replied: “The objective is to push efficiencies through over four or five years. It’s about continual progress that will deliver better quality service and more value at the same price.”

As far as how the different sectors establish their own boards, Bridge said that only three things would be stipulated: that they are not made up of more than 15 people, that a couple are independent, and that the board is representative of the sector.

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