New role for TEC supremo

He takes over the LSC when North Yorkshire Training and Enterprise Council, of which he is chief executive, is abolished next April.

His appointment was announced by Education and Employment Minister, Baroness Blackstone.

He said: "The Learning and Skills Council in North Yorkshire will bring together the budgets for further education, jobs with training and adult education - with school sixth form funding in two years' time.

"This will ensure that people have a real choice of excellent education and training opportunities. At the same time, our links with employers will mean we are in constant touch with the skills needed in the workforce of today and tomorrow.

"The LSC will build on the excellent work of the Further Education Funding Council and North Yorkshire TEC. I am naturally pleased and relieved that a great many TEC and FEFC staff are set to transfer to the LSC next March, because this will give us both continuity and a tremendous collective knowledge of our local area."

Mr Harbourne grew up in North Yorkshire and was educated at Thirsk School, the London School of Economics and the Ecole Nationale d'Administration in Paris. He previously held posts as chief executive of the Hospitality Training Foundation and, before that, director of the National Association of Master Bakers and took up his current post in January last year.

He said: "Having worked closely with local training providers and colleges, I am in no doubt that we have some of the very best education and training facilities anywhere in the country, and my aim is to keep it that way."

Mr Harbourne will work closely with Linda Pollard, chairman of the North Yorkshire LSC, over the next few months to prepare for next year's launch. He said that one of their most important tasks will be to get out and meet people involved in education and training - providers, learners and employers.

"Their views are vitally important to guiding the development of the LSC's plans, and we are anxious to hear from anyone who has ideas, comments or issues they would like us to consider."

Announcing the appointment, Baroness Blackstone said: "Learning and Skills CounciIs are central to our aims of building a further education system for the 21st century, and I am pleased that we have secured the talent and ability of so many well respected people who will be crucial in getting the work of the LSCs off to a good start.

"The people who lead the councils at the local level will be responsible for creating a credible, prestigious and high profile body commanding respect from employers, providers and learners alike."

n See this month's David Harbourne column on Page 4.

KNARESBOROUGH-based Treves UK, the automotive interiors manufacturer has appointed Hugues de Quercize as logistics manager.

Hugues (right), 26, was previously with the company as a work placement student before moving to Treves global headquarters in France. For the past two years he has worked in the central logistics division in Paris where he controlled the European suppliers to the Treves factory in Brazil.

At Knaresborough he aims to improve the logistics standards within Treves UK, identifying areas of weakness within its supply chain and setting in train a programme of continuous improvement.

Hugues, who lives in Harrogate with his wife and daughter, enjoys playing golf and walking, especially in the Lake District

WELL-travelled builder Terry Dowdle (pictured below) is the new construction director with York-based house-builder Barratt.

Birmingham-born Mr Dowdle, aged 52, began his working life as an apprentice joiner and worked his way to management level via several companies all over Britain. He lives in Wetherby.

IN the wake of the acquisition of Vauxhall dealership Leedhams of York by the Harrogate-based Sanderson Bramall Motor Group, Russell Ackernley has been appointed its director.

The sale ended a Leedham family connection with the York car dealership which began in 1924.

Mr Ackernley, 42, who has worked in the car dealership industry joins Leedhams at its Monks Cross showrooms from CD Bramhall Mazda Sheffield where he was also dealership director.

He said: "Leedhams is an exciting dealership to be working with. It has a range of premises across the city, including these new showrooms to the north of York and employs some 100 staff. It's a big player in the region.

"I'm looking forward to working with the staff to develop the business to its full potential."

PAUL Greene (right) has been appointed contracts manager for Strensall-based Hogg the Builder.

He is there to meet a growing demand for Hogg homes and will use his more than 30 years' experience in the building trade to liaise between head office and site managers to ensure that every project runs smoothly.

Paul, who was originally a plumber, made the move into house building in 1990 as an assistant site manager for Redrow Homes and was promoted to site manager shortly after.

After 10 years with Redrow, Paul stepped up the ladder to construction manager and served 16 months with Leeds-based Allen Homes

STEPHEN Young has been appointed as an associate of Briggs Potts Parry & Ives chartered architects of The Mount, York.

Mr Young, aged 41, has been with the practice for 11 years, actively involved in a wide range of its projects from educational to ecclesiastical, health to commercial.

He is playing a leading part in designing a new medical centre at Clifton Moor.

Originally he hailed from Malaysia, then studied architecture at Oxford, qualifying in 1984. He worked for the Greater London Council and Oxfordshire City Council before joining the York practice. He is married to Jacqueline and they have a four year old son.

A keen traveller, Mr Young has visited Sudan where he worked for the Sudan Ministry of Education and as a volunteer with Save The Children USA, during the famine there in 1985 and 1986.

NIDD Vale Group, one of Yorkshire's largest independent motor retailers has made three new appointments at its sales and service complex in Westmoreland Street, Harrogate.

They are Adrian Forge who joins as a bodyshop supervisor, Alan Hogarth as a sales executive and Lisa Chandler as the new parts representative.

Adrian, who has held senior management posts during his 22 years in the motor trade arrives after a Nidd Vale investment of £75,000 to upgrade equipment in its paint department and bodyshop where the work area has doubled to 12,000 sq ft.

Alan, who joins from Appleyard Rover, will have specific sales responsibility for developing Motability sales, an area in which he has specialised for the past eight years.

Lisa, who has worked in motor retailing for eight years with parts sales experience will be dealing with Nidd Vale's trade customers on the York and Harrogate areas.

Mark Arundale has joined the expanding team of Clive Owen & Co, the chartered accountants in Clifton Moor, York.

Mark (left), 21, who studied mathematics at the University of York, has just completed his Association of Accounting Technicians NVQ levels 2 and 3 in accounting.

In his new role base at Clive Owen & Co's offices in James Nicolson Link, he will look after a variety of clients and help the team in all aspects of accountancy and business support.

Mark, who lives in Malton, enjoys football, pool, crosswords, music and reading in his spare time.