Executive Committee

Officials

President

Peter Spawforth MBE Architect Planner

Retired in 2009 to become Life President of Spawforths. He is past president of several national planning organizations including the British Council of Shopping Centres and the Metropolitan Planning Officers Association. His urban planning schemes have been implemented in central Leeds and Wakefield where as Chief Planning Officer he was awarded MBE at the age of 46. His specialism is the delivery of projects on time and he has negotiated for clients and local authorities involved in compulsory purchase, latterly including the Wakefield Waterfront project. Public and private clients have engaged him in major multi-disciplinary trouble shooting.

Chairman
Peter Cooper BSc CEng MICE Chartered Civil Engineer
Worked in the civil engineering industry for 30 years for contractors, local government and consulting engineers, mainly in highways and infrastructure. Born and brought up in Scarborough, moved away to work at age 18, returned 12 years ago. Particular interest in the built environment and the quality of public spaces. Committee member of Scarborough and District Civic Society.

Vice-Chairman

Kevin Trickett, BA (Hons), MBA, MA (Phil), MAPM.
Civil servant with over 30 years management experience, half in project work. Currently a project manager for the Department of Work and Pensions, based in Leeds but delivering a national IT project. A native of Wakefield, now President of Wakefield Civic Society, having been a member of the Society's Executive Committee for around 14 years. Special interest in diversity and equality issues.

Secretary
Helen Kidman BA (Hons) MCIPS MCMI
Government Procurement Specialist. I am currently responsible for the professional development of procurement staff at the Department for Work and Pensions. Born in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, I went to college and worked in London before moving to Ilkley ten years ago. Special interests: environment, transport, planning and local history. Chair, Ilkley Civic Society.

Treasurer
Richard Ward

Solicitor in private practice. Born in the West Riding but lived in
Huddersfield for many years. President of Huddersfield Civic Society and involved in a number of initiatives in the town. Particularly interests: town centres and publicity.

Committee Members

Mike Burke
Retired insurance company official, now Hon. Archivist and Reunion Organiser, Ashville College, Harrogate. Born in Wakefield but has lived in Harrogate for many years. Former Vice-Chairman, Harrogate Civic Society and YHASA. Present interest in the Association is recruitment, development and planning.

Dr Kevin Grady
Trained as an economic historian at Leeds University, completing his PhD on building development in the West Riding in the Georgian period. Thereafter he was a lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan, Exeter and Leeds Universities. Author of several books including The Illustrated History of Leeds. Formerly Director of Eye on the Aire and former Chairman of YHASA, he is currently Director of Leeds Civic Trust.

Malcolm Sharman

Malcolm lives in Hull but was originally from the Peak District.  In 1968 he was awarded a degree in 3-D Design by Leeds Metropolitan and undertook a post-graduate Certificate in Education at Manchester University in 1969.  He was awarded the Leeds Art Travel Scholarship in 1967 and did 'The Grand Tour'. DfES granted him a sabbatical in 1968 to study Ceramic Design Education at St Martin's, Lancaster. He has since worked as a each in Hull, and has worked in the community as an Adult Education Tutor for over 25 years. He also was co-opted as a Local Councillor in the East Riding and served as a School Governor. Since retirement in 2004, he has become increasingly involved in the work of Hull Civic Society as Programme Secretary and Good Mark Award Officer, and is also a Trustee of the arc (Architectural Resource Centre) in Hull. 

Cyril Oliver
For 34 years, Leeds-born Cyril has been an active citizen of Bridlington and is currently serving as Chairman for Bridlington and District Civic Society. He has also been a member of the Renaissance Town Team for Bridlington, as well as Chairman of Local Development and Employment PACT -- a European programme for the funding of deprived areas. He is also Chairman of the Bridlington Protection Group, a group which he helped object successfully to the Yorkshire Marina Inquiry in Bridlington, and he is a member of the Bridlington Regeneration Partnership's Core Steering Group.

David Moss

David has been a Committee Member of Selby CS for six years, and has spent the last four years as Secretary and "Planning Applications" monitor.

Originally from Lancashire, David has been living in Yorkshire for 35 years. He has a doctorate from Oxford in chemistry. He retired after 33 years with various UK chemical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, in research and development managerial roles.

David Winpenny

David Winpenny was educated at Ripon Grammar School and at the University of Birmingham, from where he graduated in English. After a twelve-year teaching career he joined the Countryside Commission to run a campaign on the National Parks, then worked as an information officer for the Yorkshire regional office of the Central Office of Information. He set up his own PR company in 1991. A Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and of the Outdoor Writers and Photographer's Guild, David was a finalist on BBC Radio's Mastermind in 1999. He is Chairman of Ripon Civic Society and a Director of Ripon City Partnership, and also runs a competition for young musicians in the city.