Gatwick’s Noise Management Board announces the appointment of two new independent Chairs

  • NMB brings community groups and industry together to manage and mitigate aircraft noise
  • New NMB structure has two Chairs – one to lead the NMB Executive Board and the other to lead the newly created NMB Community Forum
  • New structure also allows for more community groups and locally elected representatives to be included

LONDON, UK, 2019-Dec-05 — /Travel PR News/ — Following a public recruitment process, two new independent Chairs for Gatwick’s Noise Management Board (NMB) were announced yesterday (3 December) at the Board’s fourth annual public meeting.

The new Chair of the NMB’s Executive Board is Jonathan Drew and the Chair of the NMB Community Forum is Warren Morgan.

Jonathan Drew is a career civil servant and diplomat with extensive experience working in the Foreign Office on a variety of challenging international issues. He has served as British High Commissioner to Mauritius and Ambassador to the Union of the Comoros. Most recently Jonathan headed up the Foreign Office’s Trade Diplomacy Department in London.

Warren Morgan has over 15 years’ experience in local government as a councillor and has an excellent reputation for representing the views of constituents, including ten years leading a forum where local residents could have their say on the construction of the new £450 million regional trauma centre at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.  He brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his three-year leadership of Brighton and Hove City Council and work with businesses and local authorities across the South East of England.

Two chairs have been appointed – and two separate Boards formed – in a dual track structure for the first time following a recommendation of the NMB Review Committee. The Review Committee was established in August 2018 to consider the future of the NMB as it transitioned into a second three-year term (See Notes).

The new structure will support the inclusion of a greater number of both community groups and locally elected representatives on the NMB.

The Executive Board is responsible for developing noise reduction workplans and overseeing their delivery, while also balancing the interests of communities negatively affected by aircraft noise with those of passengers and airlines that rely on Gatwick Airport.

The Community Forum is responsible for facilitating effective engagement across all community groups impacted by Gatwick noise and for ensuring that noise issues are suitably documented and understood. The Community Forum will engage closely with the NMB Executive Board to facilitate the establishment of a community-wide noise reduction strategy and to agree noise reduction initiatives.

Both positions were advertised widely, and the successful applicants were interviewed by a panel that was structured to include a balance of industry and local stakeholders, including two local council members, an airline representative, and Gatwick’s Head of Airspace.  A commissioner from the newly established Independent Commission on Civil Aviation Noise also joined the panel to observe the process and provide advice and feedback (See Notes).

Tim Norwood, Director of Corporate Affairs, Planning and Sustainability, Gatwick Airport, said: “I am delighted to announce that Jonathan and Warren will be leading the NMB into its second three-year term.  Both bring a wealth of experience and I look forward to working with them in the new NMB structure, which is expected to expand the scope for representation from, and engagement with, our local communities and councils.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Chair, Bo Redeborn, for leading the Arrivals Review and the work of the NMB to date.  During his tenure, NMB initiatives including the modification of the A320 family of aircraft, have helped to significantly improve noise impacts at the airport.”

Jonathan Drew, new Chair of the NMB Executive Board, said: “I’m honoured to have been appointed Chair of the NMB’s Executive Board. I look forward to working with communities and other parties, alongside Warren, to agree together further real actions to mitigate noise in the Gatwick area”

Warren Morgan, new Chair of the NMB Community Forum, said: “I’m delighted to be taking up this challenging new role helping to ensure the voices of residents across Kent, Surrey and Sussex impacted by aircraft noise are heard and acted upon. I look forward to working with Jonathan and other members of the Noise Management Board team, and to continue the good work of Bo Redeborn in finding practical solutions to noise issues around London Gatwick Airport.”

An annual report is also available to look back at the progress of the NMB over the previous year.

NOTES TO EDITOR

Recruitment: The Selection Panel for the two NMB Chair posts comprised representatives from:

  • Surrey County Council (Vice-Chair of GATCOM)
  • Horley Town Council (GATCOM Deputy Lead, Noise)
  • Airline Operators Committee (GATCOM Member)
  • Gatwick Head of Airspace Strategy and Engagement

The Executive Board and Community Forum roles were advertised on Gatwick’s Careers webpage and through social media platforms through August 2019. In early September, the Selection Panel met to review the applications received and to shortlist applicants for interview. Interviews took place through September and October 2019. A decision was made by the panel and appointments were offered to the successful candidates in early November.

NMB Review Committee and NMB second term: The NMB established a Review Sub-Committee, comprising five NMB members, to undertake an impartial review of the NMB, with the full and proper consideration of all pertinent topics, to reflect the views of all NMB Members and to make recommendations based on its findings. The goal of the Review Sub-Committee was to consider the purpose, objectives, governance, structure, membership, balance, legitimacy, outcomes, leadership and administration of the NMB.

The Review Committee undertook to develop proposals for revised NMB governance that reflected the findings of their review. Following significant engagement with the NMB, the Review Committee submitted draft Terms of Reference (ToRs) to the NMB for adoption in May 2019. The NMB discussed the proposed ToRs but was not able to reach a position on the adoption of the Committee’s recommendations.

The meeting was closed by the NMB Chair without a formal plan to move forwards or a mandate for a second term, handing the decision on how to proceed further with the NMB to Gatwick. In effect, the NMB was paused to allow Gatwick to consider how to proceed.

In considering our plans, Gatwick also took time to meet with the Head Commissioner and Secretariat of ICCAN and the Chair of GATCOM to seek their feedback and suggestions on the NMB and discuss the relationship between Airport Consultative Committees and noise management bodies more generally.

Based on feedback received during the review, a dual structure will be introduced to the NMB – an Executive Board and a Community Forum. This structure will support the inclusion of a greater number of community action groups as well as representation from local elected representatives.

About Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport. It serves more than 230 destinations in 74 countries for 46 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. Gatwick is also a major economic driver and generates around 85,000 jobs nationally, with 24,000 of these located on the airport.

In May 2019, a new long-term partnership was formed with VINCI Airports who purchased a 50.01% stake in the airport. This partnership sees Gatwick Airport integrate into the network of VINCI Airports, the leading private airport operator in the world, which manages the development and operation of 46 airports across the globe. Served by around 250 airlines, VINCI Airports’ network handled 240 million passengers in 2018 – including traffic at London Gatwick. VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability, international network and know-how to optimise performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and new-build construction projects.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which manages the remaining 49.99% interest in Gatwick, is an independent infrastructure investor that makes equity investments in high quality infrastructure assets in the energy, transport and water/waste sectors. GIP has US$68 billion of Assets under Management. Its 41 portfolio companies operate in over 51 countries with more than 67,000 employees and generate annual revenues of circa US$51 billion.

For more information on VINCI Airports please visit www.vinci-airports.com and for more information on GIP please visit http://global-infra.com

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Source: GATWICK AIRPORT