Westmill Co-op Board
Mark Luntley (Chairman)
Mark Luntley graduated from Loughborough University in 1982 and qualified as a CIPFA accountant in 1987. He has worked at the Audit Commission, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (as Head of Audit), the Western Isles Council (as Deputy Director) and Oxford City Council as their Director of Corporate Services. Mark is currently Finance Programme Director at the Local Government Association.
A member of Baywind since 1997, and interested in environmental issues, Mark also chairs the Oxford credit union and is a non-Executive Director of South Oxford Housing Association. He is a member of the Centre for Alternative Technology, Midcounties Co-operative and the Climate Outreach Information Network.
Mark and his wife eco-renovated their 1980s house, which was subsequently used by the Open University as an environmental case study.
Mark leads on Westmill financial issues and ensures the board focuses on the key issues. He sits as an observer on WeSET and plays and active role showing various visitors around the site. Mark was re-elected to the Board in 2011.
Isobel Burbidge
Isobel Burbidge was voted on the Board of Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-operative in 2005. The Co-operative then merged with West Midlands Co-operative Group to form the Mid Counties Co-operative. Isobel has taken an active role in co-operative matters since joining the Board. Having studied at the Lancashire College of Agriculture, and also married to a Dairy Herd Manager, Isobel has followed a career in Finance and Administration in small to medium sized enterprises in and around Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. Prior to joining the Mid Counties Co-operative Board, Isobel has been involved in the local community and is a keen supporter of recycling and renewable energy.
Rod Blunden
Rod Blunden is a Fellow of the Energy Institute and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He has spent a career in major contractor organisations on energy and related civils projects in senior positions both in the UK and overseas. During a period of 14 years with National Wind Power (now npower renewables) he had responsibility for the construction of some 18 wind farms and subsequent involvement in many more projects. He now works as an independent renewables consultant specialising in wind energy and related H&S activity. He has been a member of the BWEA H&S Steering Group since 1994 and regularly contributes at BWEA conferences and seminars.
Rod was re-elected to the Board in March 2012.
Richard Lord
Richard Lord has a degree in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA, and membership of the Institution of Engineering & Technology. After an early career in mechanical and industrial engineering, I joined the Wind Energy Group (WEG) in 1983 as a Project Manager leaving in 1998 following its sale to NEG Micon, having held the role of Commercial Director for some years. Since leaving WEG, I have worked as an independent wind energy consultant and have included in my portfolio the development of a wind farm in Jamaica, setting up contracts/sub-contracts for wind farm construction, valuation of wind farms for rates, valuations of wind farms for sale, location of new sites, and evaluation of potential new wind farm sites.
Richard was re-elected to the Board in 2013.
John Twidell
I have been an advocate and practitioner for renewables, especially wind power, for many years. I believe that progress requires clear strategic policy, based on personal experience and commitment. Such aims are basic for a co-operative, both supporting its members and promoting extension.
I co-authored the textbook, 'Renewable Energy Resources' (second edition 2006, Taylor Francis) which sells worldwide and published ~100 academic papers on sustainable energy.
I run a small company, AMSET, which conducts and supports renewables research and education. To practice what I preach, the buildings use Green Electricity, are heated by biomass fuels, hot water is from solar thermal collectors, electricity is from roof-mounted photovoltaics with surplus for grid export; vehicles can use biodiesel and associated horticulture uses pumped irrigation from solar power.
John was re-elected to the Board in 2011.
Dr Eoin W Lees
Eoin has been involved in energy efficiency and renewable energy since 1985. From 1989 to 1993, he was the Director of ETSU which was then the Governments agency for the research, development and demonstration of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Eoin was also a member of the Renewable Energy Advisory Committee. In 1993, he became the founding Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust for the first ten years of its life. From 2003 onwards he has been a private Sustainable Energy Consultant working for UK and overseas Governments as well as the private sector. Eoin is currently a member of Ofgems Environmental Advisory Group and Vice Chair of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
Eoin was re-elected to the Board in 2013
Crispin Matson
I am 50 years old, married with 4 teenage children and live in Oxford. I studied Engineering at the University of Sussex and later gained a Masters Degree in Building Services Engineering at the University of Glasgow. I have spent most of my career as a mechanical engineer designing energy efficient buildings, initially for a number of large international consulting engineering practices and latterly my own smaller company. I became a Chartered Mechanical Engineer in 1988. Recently I have moved into the field of renewable energy and my current position is UK Director of Energy for the Danish consulting engineer Ramboll. I have always had an interest in renewable or alternative energy developed from early days by attending the Centre for Alternative Technology CAT in Wales and more recently as a member of Westmill Wind Farm Co-op. Outside of my work I enjoy reading, sailing and preparing for and taking part in triathlons.
Crispin was elected to the Board in March 2012.
Mike Blanch (Advisor)
Mike Blanch is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer with 17 years experience in renewable energy. From 1991 to 2004 he worked in wind energy related research firstly for 2 years at Cranfield University and then at the Energy Research Unit at CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. Mike has since worked for AEA Future Energy Solutions where he provided consultancy services to both private and public sector organisations primarily in wind energy technologies. Mike is currently the Wind Energy Manager at Atkins which includes providing consultancy services and the management of the development of two wind farms.
Annette Heslop (Secretary)
Annette Heslop is the Company Secretary of Westmill Co-op (and Energy4All and Baywind). She has worked locally in Cumbria as a Management Accountant in the private sector of small sized businesses for over 15 years, qualifying as an AAT Technician in 1999 and extending her skills in Information Technology and website design. She joined The Wind Co. UK Ltd in 1998 and was elected to the board of Baywind in 1999 dealing with the day-to-day accounting procedures, maintaining the members share register and organising educational site visits to the Harlock Hill and Haverigg II wind farms. Annette is responsible for the company secretarial function for all co-operatives in the Energy4All family and serves as a trustee of the Baywind Energy Conservation Fund, actively supporting energy conservation through the Trust.
Stephen Andrews (Advisor)
Stephen has spent many years working in the electricity and renewables industries. In 1989 he co-founded Windcluster and ILEX, the leading European energy consultants, and now operates as an independent consultant through Lower Watts Consulting.
