Mr Mark McBride
CHAIRPERSON
Mr Mark McBride is a qualified CIPFA accountant, CIPD qualified and Chair of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Pension Scheme. He is a former Head of Finance and Performance at Belfast City Council (BCC). He previously served as an Independent Member on NILGOSC from May 2019 to April 2023, in which period he chaired its Audit & Risk Assurance Committee. He brings a range of governance, financial and public accountability skills and experience to the role. Mark holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity within the last 5 years.
Mr Alan Law
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Law is a Trade Union Official with NIPSA which involves leading in various negotiations with experience of developing and sustaining relationships with a range of stakeholders. He is currently the Chair of the Trustees of NIPSA’s Defined Benefit Pension Scheme through which he analyses investment reports, challenges assumptions and seeks advice from advisors. He has also experience in responding to consultations and developing policies which have covered finance functions and governance. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.
Mrs Antoinette McMillen
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Antoinette McMillen is an official and lead negotiator with over 30 years’ experience for the public sector trade union NIPSA ( Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance ). She has led a number of trade union teams within the Northern Ireland Civil Service involved in negotiating pay, pensions and terms and conditions of service. She has developed good working relationships with employers, other trade unions and has been instrumental in the formulation, development and implementation of strategic policy in various areas of the public sector as well as major organisational initiatives, including single status agreements and the Review of Public Administration in Local Government. She has extensive experience in key Governance issues and campaigns aimed at protecting and strengthening public services and has overseen the prosecution of class action holiday pay tribunal cases in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. She currently serves as a Trustee of the NIPSA Pension Scheme.
Mrs Cathy Matthews
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mrs Cathy Matthews has a wide range of governance and public accountability experience at UK wide level, including as a member of a national governance body. As a Director at Belfast City Council, she had responsibility for engaging with political parties on matters within her remit to reach consensus on key decisions. She brings skills relating to transformation programmes, strategic thinking and stakeholder engagement to the Committee. Cathy holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity within the last 5 years.
Mr Derek McCallan
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Derek McCallan is former Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) stepping down in December 2021 after a decade of advising and supporting the Association’s all-Party political / corporate leaders and its all-council Executive, taking forward policy, lobbying, fiscal and legislation priorities for the 11 local authorities. He led and completed the Review of Public Administration (RPA) in partnership with central government, NILGA and the former 26 local authorities in 2015. Prior to NILGA, Derek enjoyed 14 years in senior local government leadership, driving strategic partnerships across commercial, community, social / rural economy, elected member development and performance improvement and currently performs peer reviews, training and leadership advice throughout the UK and Irish council network. This includes work on public sector entrepreneurship stemming from his successful bid for the EU’s European Enterprise (EER) Award gained for Northern Ireland in 2016. He has also held management roles in the private and voluntary sectors.
Photograph to follow
Mr Dooley Harte
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Dooley Harte is the Pension Official for the University & College Union with responsibility for the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). In this role he has responsibility for leading pension negotiations with USS and representatives for UK universities, dealing with a wide range of stakeholders. He is also a Trustee of the Board of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland where he engages in a range of governance, strategic direction and financial matters. Dooley holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity within the last 5 years.
Ms Heather McKinstry
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Heather McKinstry is the Trade Union Side Officer for the Education Authority. Her role is to coordinate and support the Trade Union Side Joint Secretaries from the four main Unions who represent members in the Education Authority. She has over 30 years’ experience working in Education including the Finance Sector. She is the chairperson of her Unison Branch. She is also joint chair of the Unison Education Local Government Service Group. She represents members in Unison Education on the NJC Committee. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.
Mr JJ Tohill
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Tohill is Director of Finance and a member of Mid Ulster District Council’s Senior Management Team with responsibility for the finance function, and the design and implementation of effective controls. He has experience of using communication and influencing skills in a complex public sector reform environment involving challenging restructuring and cultural issues.
Mr Kenneth Clayton
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Clayton, now retired, was a Trade Union Co-ordinator in Belfast City Council through which he has a range of experience relating to industrial relations matters including as lead TU official in a range of negotiations. As a Union Branch Chair (Unite), he has held a range of positions in various committees and working groups such as the Local Government Joint Reform Group and the Unions Local Authority Pension’s Committee through which he gained experience in good governance and financial management. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.
Mr Michael Rafferty
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Rafferty is a Chartered Accountant with experience across the private, public and third sectors, and is currently the Group Director of Finance & Resources for Choice Housing Association. He brings skills and experience relating to financial management and risk management to the Committee, in complex organisational and regulatory environments. Mr Rafferty also has project management experience, including the creation and implementation of new policies.
Mr Paul Francey
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Francey has worked within public transport and has been a Trade Union activist for the past fifteen years. He has been a workplace organiser for the GMB Trade Union for the past seven years and has held the position of the Railway Branch Secretary for the past six years. Mr Francey has previous experience of sitting on Trade Union bodies for the GMB within the public transport sector and sits on the Local Government Pensions Advisory Board.
Mr Peter Moore
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr Moore is a Qualified Chartered Accountant employed by Translink with responsibility for economic appraisals and post project evaluations as well as other financial and economic matters. He has been, and continues to be, a member of a number of project boards where he provides a challenge function and looks to ensure consensus is reached, particularly in the area of project governance. He presents the Matters for Approval at Translink’s monthly executive meeting. His experience has allowed him to build effective relationships at all levels within Translink and the Department for Infrastructure. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.
Mr Shane McCurdy
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Mr McCurdy is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. He is the current Head of Corporate Services at the Controlled Schools’ Support Council and a former Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the North Eastern Education and Library Board (NEELB). In that role he was responsible for the management and governance of all matters relating to the affairs of the Board and educational support services. For many years he had been the Chief Finance Officer for the NEELB and he was the Interim Head of Finance for the Education Authority on its establishment in 2015. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.