Merrick Cockell
Encyclopedia
Sir
Merrick Richard Cockell (born 16 June 1957) is a Conservative
politician in the United Kingdom
, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
and Chairman of the Local Government Association
. He was made a Knight Bachelor
in 2010.
The son of Peter Colvile Cockell by his marriage to Hildegard Christina Gaskell, he was educated at Pierrepont School, Frensham
, then became a trader with F. M. Barshall Ltd. From 1977 to 1982 he served the company overseas in Ghana
, Togo
, Sierra Leone
, The Gambia
, and China
. In 1982 he founded and became a director of Abingdon Cockell Ltd, an import-export company, remaining with it until 2006. He has served as a director of Localis Research Ltd, a local government
think-tank, since 2008 and as its Chairman since 2009. From 1999 he was also a director of Peter Barshall Ltd.
In 1986 Cockell was elected as a councillor
of the Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council
, in which he was Chairman of Education from 1992 to 1995 and Conservative Chief Whip from 1995 to 2000, before becoming Leader of the Council in 2000. Kensington and Chelsea now has the third-lowest Council Tax
in Britain. There, Cockell has represented the ultra-safe Stanley ward since 1986, and in 2002 was re-elected with 1063 votes, his nearest opponent gaining only 209.
In 1990, as a director of the importers Barber Cockell, he was quoted in China Trade Report as saying "Everyone was shocked by events in June last year
, but in reality what occurred in Tiananmen Square
had little effect on our business even during the troubles."
Cockell was Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Councillors' Association from 2005 to 2008 and has been its Chairman since 2008, as well as holding a seat on the Conservative Party Board since 2008 and serving as a member of the Audit Commission
since 2009. He has been a director of the Chelsea Academy since 2008 and also serves on the Conservative Party's Social Justice Policy Group.
He was a member of the London Governance Commission from 2004 to 2006 and was Chairman of London Councils from 2006 to 2010.
Cockell was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, 2010
, "for services to local government".
In 2011 he became Chairman of the Local Government Association
, succeeding Baroness Eaton
.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Merrick Richard Cockell (born 16 June 1957) is a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
and Chairman of the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
. He was made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 2010.
The son of Peter Colvile Cockell by his marriage to Hildegard Christina Gaskell, he was educated at Pierrepont School, Frensham
Pierrepont School, Frensham
Pierrepont School, Frensham, originally known as Pierrepont House School, was an independent school in Surrey, England, with day boys as well as boarders. Founded in 1947, it became co-educational in 1983 and closed in 1993.-History:...
, then became a trader with F. M. Barshall Ltd. From 1977 to 1982 he served the company overseas in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In 1982 he founded and became a director of Abingdon Cockell Ltd, an import-export company, remaining with it until 2006. He has served as a director of Localis Research Ltd, a local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
think-tank, since 2008 and as its Chairman since 2009. From 1999 he was also a director of Peter Barshall Ltd.
In 1986 Cockell was elected as a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
of the Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council
Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council
Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council is the local authority for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Kensington and Chelsea is divided into 18 wards, each electing three...
, in which he was Chairman of Education from 1992 to 1995 and Conservative Chief Whip from 1995 to 2000, before becoming Leader of the Council in 2000. Kensington and Chelsea now has the third-lowest Council Tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
in Britain. There, Cockell has represented the ultra-safe Stanley ward since 1986, and in 2002 was re-elected with 1063 votes, his nearest opponent gaining only 209.
In 1990, as a director of the importers Barber Cockell, he was quoted in China Trade Report as saying "Everyone was shocked by events in June last year
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
, but in reality what occurred in Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
had little effect on our business even during the troubles."
Cockell was Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Councillors' Association from 2005 to 2008 and has been its Chairman since 2008, as well as holding a seat on the Conservative Party Board since 2008 and serving as a member of the Audit Commission
Audit Commission
The Audit Commission is a public corporation in the United Kingdom.The Commission’s primary objective is to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government, housing and the health service, directly through the audit and inspection process and also through value for money...
since 2009. He has been a director of the Chelsea Academy since 2008 and also serves on the Conservative Party's Social Justice Policy Group.
He was a member of the London Governance Commission from 2004 to 2006 and was Chairman of London Councils from 2006 to 2010.
Cockell was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, 2010
2010 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2010 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2010 in New Zealand and 12 June 2010 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2010.-Knights Bachelor:*Professor John Rex Beddington CMG, for science...
, "for services to local government".
In 2011 he became Chairman of the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
, succeeding Baroness Eaton
Margaret Eaton, Baroness Eaton
Margaret Eaton, Baroness Eaton , DBE, DL is a Conservative Party life peer in the British House of Lords. She has been a Councillor with Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council since 1986 and was the Chairman of the Local Government Association until June 2011.She was appointed a Dame Commander of...
.
External links
- Merrick Cockell profile at btconnect.com/MerrickCockell