Some significant changes happened in LARAC last year 2021. Firstly, we became a private company limited by guarantee in February so that we can grow and be better placed to service our members’ needs in the future. Then we had all of the staff give notice of their retirement or leave: we’ve known for a good while that Jennifer Perry our Executive Officer and longest serving member of the employed staff, would be retiring in May 2022, then Dianne Hewgill our seconded policy officer left in August; and finally, Lee Marshall our CEO left in November.
We had to plan a new structure for LARAC to ensure all the key member services continue to be delivered and so we would be fit for the future. It was also the opportunity to build in some changes that had been identified in our strategic business plan to increase our staffing resource and resilience.
We are pleased to introduce you to our new staff who will be taking LARAC forward from May onwards:
John Coates – Head of External Affairs
John is currently our interim CEO having taken over after Lee’s departure. He is a former vice chair and treasurer for LARAC and has held senior positions in waste management in both unitary and county councils. He has been a project director for PFI style infrastructure projects and major service contract procurements. John will be responsible for representing LARAC’s views in the media, engaging with external stakeholders and national Governments, managing the internal Policy Team and consultations with our members, and ensuring LARAC’s voice is heard on the key issues and challenges we face.
Carole Taylor – Internal Affairs Manager
Carole has been the North West representative for LARAC since July 2002 and has held all of the positions in LARAC, finishing with four years as Chair from 2018-2021. Carole leaves her job at Pendle BC where she has been a waste and recycling coordinator. In her new role as Internal Affairs Manager she will be responsible for all the member supporting services, growing our membership, supporting the running of the Executive and the Board of Directors for LARAC Ltd, and working with John on strategic plans such as the Business Plan and Annual Action Plan.
Mariana McManus – Support Officer
Mariana comes to us from the London Borough of Merton where she is a principal policy officer. In her new role as our Support Officer she will work with Carole to provide excellent services for our members, help plan our conferences, maintain and develop the website, make sure our regular communications like LARAC Online and the Policy Briefing are sent out, and provide support to the LARAC Executive and Board of Directors.
We say farewell to those who have made LARAC what it is today and welcome to those who will take it forward and shape what it will become tomorrow.
