Dr Clive Elphick, a director of the Northwest Regional Development Agency and of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, has been appointed to the Board of the Environment Agency by Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.

Dr Ruth Hall’s second term as an EA Board member has also been extended to 31 March 2013. Dr Hall has acted as an adviser to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) on public health interventions since 2005, and is a member of OFWAT’s Future Regulatory Advisory Panel.

Dr Elphick, who joins the EA Board today, will receive £21,002 pro rata for 2011/12, based on 5 working days per month. As part of his portfolio, Dr Elphick will be the lead Board member for the Environment Agency North West region.

Defra, who announced the appointments yesterday, said Dr Hall’s term has been extended to enable her to continue to represent the Environment Agency  by remaining involved with the Welsh Government programme which is looking into the potential for creating a single environment body. Dr Hall will also continue with her duties as a EA Board member responsible to the Secretary of State. On re-appointment she will receive £12,602 pro rata for 2011/12, based on working 3 days per month.

The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body, set up under the Environment Act 1995 to take an integrated approach to environmental protection and enhancement inEngland and Wales. It has major responsibilities in flood management, water resources and quality, climate change, land quality, chemicals, pollution prevention and control, waste, conservation and biodiversity, fisheries conservation, air quality and navigation.