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The Cheshire Probation Board is made up of 11 members and 6 Officers.
Click on a member's name for biographical details:
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L Robinson
Chair of the Board
Leslie Robinson has been Chair of the Greater Manchester Probation Board since 2002 having been the founding Chair of the Lancashire Board. Leslie sits as a Magistrate in the Macclesfield Division of the Cheshire Courts Service.He is Chair of the new Trafford NHS Primary Care Trust having been appointed a non-Executive member of the Trafford South PCT Board at its inception in 2000. He subsequently became Vice-Chair, Acting Chair and was appointed Chair of Trafford South PCT in 2004.
Educated at Exeter University, with a degree in Economics, he also has an MBA and a degree in Law.
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S Collett
Chief Officer
Steve Collett is the first Chief Officer of the Cheshire Probation Area. He was appointed on 1st April 2001 when the National Probation Service and the Cheshire Area came into existence. Prior to his appointment, Steve had worked in a variety of roles within both Merseyside and Greater Manchester Probation Services. He has also been a lecturer in Social Policy and Probation Studies at Liverpool University, where he is Honorary Fellow within the Department of Sociology. He is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the Probation Journal and a series editor for the Issues in Criminal and Community Justice Monograph series.
His Honour Judge Stephen Clarke was the Lord Chancellor`s Appointee to the Cheshire Probation Board having previously been a member of the Probation Committee. He was appointed as a Circuit Judge in 1995 having practised as a Barrister prior to that from Whitefriars Chambers in Chester.He has also been appointed to the Magistrates Court Committee for Dyfed Powys.
Andrew was appointed to the Board in January 2006. Prior to joining the Board, he spent many years working with young people and volunteers as a teacher and youth worker with the Quakers. More recently, Andrew was the Manager of Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate for the National Trust. Andrew, who holds an MBA from the Manchester Business School, is currently a Heritage Tourism Executive, working for Culture Northwest. Andrew, who has two children, counts amongst his leisure pursuits walking, working on his allotment, music and folk dancing.
Michael Darby is a Chartered Accountant by background with a broad range of experience at Board/Chair level with the Primary Care Trust (PCT), Police Authority, SureStart and the Criminal Justice Consultative Committee. A Magistrate, he was Chair of the Magistrates Courts' Committee during a period of substantial change. He has also been on the Board of Cheshire Health Authority before Chairing the PCT, is a Director/Trustee of Sport Cheshire and Chair of Governors of a Community Primary School. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Cheshire in September 2006.
John Eccles headed the Land Registry Operation on Merseyside before taking charge of the Telford Business for the final six years of his Land Registry career prior to retirement. He is a non-executive Director and now appointed Chair of Arena Homes (a social landlord) where he is also a member of the Group Business Planning and Audit Committees, leading on performance management. He also sits as a Panel Member for "Investors in People" in the North West. Although now restricted to mainly spectating, he is a keen sportsman.
Myles Hogg is a chartered accountant by profession. He has been a borough councillor in Ellesmere Port and Neston for over 16 years, representing the Willaston and Thornton Ward and was the Borough's Mayor in 2002/03. He is Vice-Chairman of the Ellesmere Port and Neston, Primary Care Trust, has served on the governing body of the Whitby High School for 14 years, including being chairman for 10 of those years and also serves as a school governor for Childer Thornton Primary School. He is also a Director of the Parkgate and Neston Housing Association. Married with two daughters and a son, he lives in Willaston. His hobbies include golf and bridge.
Ronald Howarth was a Director of Corporate Banking for Nat West/ Royal Bank of Scotland until his retirement in 2003 after 38 years in the bank. He is a non-executive Director of Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust (Chair of the Audit Committee) and a non-executive Director and Chair of the Board of Wirral Partnership Homes Ltd, a Registered Social Landlord set up in 2004 to acquire the housing stock of Wirral Borough Council. He was formerly a Director of Liverpool and Manchester Design Initiative Ltd for 7 years until stepping down in 2004.
Yvonne McLean worked in a variety of development roles within the voluntary sector prior to joining the Board. Latterly Assistant Director with The Children's Society, she had national responsibility for volunteer recruitment and development within the organisation. She has recently set up her own coaching and training business and is currently working at Manchester University. In addition, she is involved in developing healthy eating initiatives at her children's school.
Jane Miller retired from the Royal Mail last year after a long and varied career. Her last post was People and Organisation Development Adviser in Cumbria and Lancashire. In the past she has also been the Equal Opportunities Manager for the North West and has been involved in a number of large change programmes within Royal Mail. A Magistrate for 9 years, she is on the Bench Training and Development Committee and also acts as an appraiser and mentor to new magistrates.
Mary Roberts retired from Cheshire Police in 2005 after 31 years' service. Most of her service was in crime investigation at Crewe, Northwich and Halton where she was a Detective Chief Inspector Crime Manager although she also spent time in the Professional Standards Department, investigating complaints against Police Officers. Following promotion to the rank of Superintendent in 2000, Mary was posted to Crewe and Nantwich as a Divisional Commander where she remained until her retirement. Mary enjoys horse riding (she owns two horses), walking her two dogs and gardening.
Vincent Whitehead was appointed a member of the Cheshire Probation Board on 1 March 2002. Prior to this, he worked in various roles within the Youth Service in Cheshire from 1968-1998. He was Principle Youth Officer for Cheshire County Council from 1994-1998 and Youth Service Manager for Halton Borough Council from 1998-2000. He is currently a Regional Tutor for a Distance Learning Course, Dip HE Informal and Community Education at YMCA George Williams College in association with Canterbury Christ Church University College. He is also a member of the Board of Examiners at the College. Since 1995 he has been an assessor for The Prince's Trust Development Awards for young people.
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