Iain Smith retires as Chief Executive at Middle Level Commissioners

Iain Smith, clerk since 1984 and chief executive since 2000 of the Middle Level Commissioners and associated IDBs, retired on New Year’s Eve.

ADA’s Chief Executive, Innes Thomson and Vice Chairman, Robert Caudwell attended Iain’s retirement presentation on 11 January and gave a few words of appreciation for the help that Iain has provided on many occasions to ADA and the wider water level management industry. His knowledge and expertise on land drainage law is second to none.

Iain is replaced as clerk and chief executive by the present chief engineer, David Thomas with Lorna McShane joining as solicitor and assistant clerk.

David joined the Middle Level in 2005 from the Bedford group of internal drainage boards and is currently responsible for managing the delivery of flood risk management and navigation services in the Middle Level area.
He also acts as consulting engineer to more than thirty independent internal drainage boards, both within the Middle Level area or in close proximity.

David also sits on various panels and steering groups as a technical expert including as Honorary Secretary of ADA’s Technical & Environmental Committee and on the CIWEM’s Rivers & Coastal Group.

Lorna began her career as a solicitor working for local authorities in Northumberland and the north east coast before being appointed as head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer at the Borough Council of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire.

Lorna’s main specialism is planning and environmental law and she has also worked in private practice as part of the national planning team at DLA Piper’s Birmingham office.

Until December 2015 she was legal services manager and commercial and deputy monitoring officer at Central Bedfordshire Council.

For the past year she has worked in Tewkesbury as senior planning lawyer to Tewkesbury, Cheltenham and Gloucester city councils.

Lorna took up her appointment at Middle Level Commissioners on 1 December 2016.

Image: (Left to right) Iain Smith with Middle Level Commissioners’ Chairman, Marc Heading on 11 January

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