Public appointment: Chair and member appointments extended on Boundaries Scotland

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery, Mr Swinney, today announced the extension to the appointments of Ronnie Hinds as Chair and Roland Bean and Susan Walker as Members of the Boundaries Scotland.

Chair

Ronnie Hinds is a qualified accountant with over 30 years’ experience in local government in Scotland and the UK. He was Chief Executive of Fife Council for seven years until he retired in June 2013. Prior to that he held posts as Head of Financial Services with the City of Edinburgh Council, Director of Finance with North Lanarkshire Council and Controller of Audit and Deputy Auditor General for Scotland.

Members

Roland Bean holds a degree in Geography and Master’s degrees in Urban Design and Regional Planning and in Theology, Imagination and culture. He spent his career in Local Government in Scotland, latterly as Head of Planning for Perth and Kinross council. After taking early retirement in 2011, he worked in VSO in Zambia as a Planning and Management Advisor. He sits on the board of a number of national and local charities including Gannochy Trust. Roland brings to the Commission wide knowledge and experience of the geography and demography and of the operation of local government in Scotland.

Susan Walker has a degree on Geography and a PhD in computer mapping. She has worked in the rural and environment sector for over 30 years. She was for a time, Professor of Geography and Environment at the university of Aberdeen. Over the last 15 years she has held a number of board positions with public bodies in Scotland. she is currently a board member of Food Standards Scotland and member of the Independent Customer Group representing customer interests to Scottish Water.

Extension

The extensions will be for one year and will run from 31 May 2022 to 31 May 2023.

The extensions are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The extensions are part-time. The chair attracts a remuneration of £347 per day for a time commitment of up to two days per month. The member attracts a remuneration of £219 per day for a time commitment of up to two days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Susan Walker is a Member of Food Standard Scotland for which she receives remuneration of £10,896 per year, for a time commitment of up to four days per month.

Ronnie Hinds and Roland Bean do not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

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 appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. 

Ronnie Hinds, Roland Bean and Susan Walker have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

Boundaries Scotland is responsible for carrying out reviews of:

• the boundaries of local authority areas
• carrying out reviews of electoral wards for local authorities
• responding to requests for reviews of electoral wards or local authority areas and
• carrying out reviews of constituencies and regions for the Scottish Parliament

Boundaries Scotland is an Advisory Non-departmental Public Body sponsored and wholly funded by the Scottish Government. It is an independent, non-political body created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.