Sir Michael Lyons
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Lyons is the non-executive chairman of the English Cities Fund and Participle Ltd; he is a former Chairman of the BBC Trust
.
He is a former Labour Party
councillor and council chief executive in the United Kingdom, who has also been involved in some of the key central government commissions and reports into local government finance from 2000 to 2007.
, and at Queen Mary & Westfield College
, University of London
. Whilst completing his formal education, he worked for two years as a part-time street trader at Bell St Market in London. Lyons then worked as a lecturer in economics at the Wallbrook College, London and the University of Nottingham
.
Lyons worked as an economist
working in the public sector, and between 1980 and 1983 served as an elected Labour
councillor
on Birmingham City Council
. He then became Chief Executive of three significant local authorities: Wolverhampton
Borough Council (1985–90); Nottinghamshire
County Council (1990–94); and then Birmingham
City Council
(1994–2001). Lyons was knight
ed in January 2000 in recognition of his services to Local Government
.
During 2004 he was the chairman of two successful government projects: "Review of Public Sector Relocation" on behalf of the Chancellor
and Prime Minister
, and "Corporate Governance Commission" on behalf of Cardiff
City Council. He was also Deputy Chairman of the Audit Commission
for two years until October 2006, serving for a while as Acting Chairman. In March 2007 he published his final report and recommendations from his three year independent Inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government.
Lyons was the Head of Inlogov
, the leading Local Government Public Policy
school in the United Kingdom at Birmingham University from 2001 to 2006, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University
.
Lyons is also a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company
and a non-executive director of Mouchel
, Wragge & Co solicitors and SQW Group Ltd.
He is a former chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
and former member of the boards of City Pride, Birmingham Marketing Partnership and Millennium Point Property Trust Company.
He was previously a director of Central Independent Television
, until 1993.
, which also carries the title BBC Chairman. He was appointed to the position after Michael Grade left the BBC to become Executive Chairman of rival broadcaster ITV. On 3 August 2007 a House of Lords
all-party select committee criticised the way the appointment was handled, saying government ministers had too much influence over his appointment. Lyons dismissed the allegations, pledging "absolute independence and impartiality".
On 14 September, 2010 Lyons announced he had written to Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, to explain that he will serve for only one four year term and will not seek reappointment in May 2011. He cited a growing workload for the part-time role had made him anxious which in turn had been "crowding out" other demands on his own time.
He was succeeded in May 2011 by Lord Patten of Barnes.
, Birmingham
.
BBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
.
He is a former Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
councillor and council chief executive in the United Kingdom, who has also been involved in some of the key central government commissions and reports into local government finance from 2000 to 2007.
Career
Michael Lyons was educated at Stratford Grammar School (London), Middlesex UniversityMiddlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
, and at Queen Mary & Westfield College
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Whilst completing his formal education, he worked for two years as a part-time street trader at Bell St Market in London. Lyons then worked as a lecturer in economics at the Wallbrook College, London and the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
Lyons worked as an economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
working in the public sector, and between 1980 and 1983 served as an elected Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
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:...
on Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
. He then became Chief Executive of three significant local authorities: Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
Borough Council (1985–90); Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
County Council (1990–94); and then Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
(1994–2001). Lyons was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in January 2000 in recognition of his services to Local Government
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
.
During 2004 he was the chairman of two successful government projects: "Review of Public Sector Relocation" on behalf of the Chancellor
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
and Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, and "Corporate Governance Commission" on behalf of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
City Council. He was also Deputy Chairman 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...
for two years until October 2006, serving for a while as Acting Chairman. In March 2007 he published his final report and recommendations from his three year independent Inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government.
Lyons was the Head of Inlogov
Inlogov
Inlogov is the Institute of Local Government Studies at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. It is a centre for the applied study of local and community governance. It has 46 staff members and a research income of around £1m per annum. INLOGOV is currently home to 150 postgraduates...
, the leading Local Government Public Policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
school in the United Kingdom at Birmingham University from 2001 to 2006, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
.
Lyons is also a governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
and a non-executive director of Mouchel
Mouchel
Mouchel Group plc is a multinational infrastructure and business services company headquartered in Woking, United Kingdom. It operates in sectors including highways, business process outsourcing, water, property, housing, education, waste, environmental and local government consultancy services in...
, Wragge & Co solicitors and SQW Group Ltd.
He is a former chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
and former member of the boards of City Pride, Birmingham Marketing Partnership and Millennium Point Property Trust Company.
He was previously a director of Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
, until 1993.
BBC Chairman
On 1 May 2007, Lyons became Chairman of the BBC TrustBBC Trust
The BBC Trust is the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and aims to act in the best interests of licence fee payers....
, which also carries the title BBC Chairman. He was appointed to the position after Michael Grade left the BBC to become Executive Chairman of rival broadcaster ITV. On 3 August 2007 a House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
all-party select committee criticised the way the appointment was handled, saying government ministers had too much influence over his appointment. Lyons dismissed the allegations, pledging "absolute independence and impartiality".
On 14 September, 2010 Lyons announced he had written to Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, to explain that he will serve for only one four year term and will not seek reappointment in May 2011. He cited a growing workload for the part-time role had made him anxious which in turn had been "crowding out" other demands on his own time.
He was succeeded in May 2011 by Lord Patten of Barnes.
Personal
Lyons is married and has three children and lives in Sutton ColdfieldSutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.