LARAC has announced that Carole Taylor, Waste and Recycling Co-Ordinator for Pendle Borough Council, is to become the tenth Chair of LARAC, taking over from Andrew Bird in January 2018.
Carole is currently one of the two Vice-Chairs of the organisation and has also been Treasurer of the organisation in the past. She has been a member of the Executive since 2002 when she was first elected as the North West representative and is one of its longest standing members.
“It is a privilege to become the next LARAC Chair after serving on the Executive for a number of years. I am looking forward to working with the wider industry at this critical time and representing our local authority members,” Carole commented. “With so much change and uncertainty it is crucial that LARAC works hard on behalf of its members and I intend to give them the best representation possible”.
The role of LARAC Chair is limited to a maximum four-year term and Andrew said” “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Chair of LARAC and feel as an organisation we have grown over the past four years, building on the work of previous Chairs before me. It has been a tough few years for our members and that shows no sign of easing in the short term. Carole knows the industry and LARAC extremely well and I am pleased she is taking on the role of Chair and I know LARAC will continue to grow under her leadership”.
Praising the work of Andrew, Carole addd: “Andrew has provided strong, inclusive and calm leadership for the Executive and LARAC and steered it through a period of change and growth. He has represented local authorities with great skill and brought some common sense and authority to the various debates LARAC has been involved in. His work on consistency and packaging through the ACP is testament to his dedication, and we are glad he will be continuing this important work”.
LARAC has confirmed that Andrew will remain a member of the Exec given he is half-way through his two-year term as a nationally elected representative. One of Carole’s first tasks will be to oversee the development of a new four-year business plan for LARAC, with the existing one due to finish at the end of 2018.