Policy Steering Group

President
Chair
Vice Chair
Other Members

President

Professor Michael Winter OBE
University of Exeter, Centre for Rural Policy Research
President of Devon Rural Network Michael Winter is Director of Centre for Rural Research and Professor of Rural Policy, Exeter University; Chair, South West Rural Affairs Forum; President, Devon Rural Network; member of Defra's Agricultural and Environmental Economics Academic Panel; former member of Home Office Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs and Environment Agency's South West Regional Environmental Protection Advisory Committee.

Chair

Philip Wagstaff
Churches Together in Devon
Philip Wagstaff has worked in Rural Methodism in Norfolk, North East Essex and Devon. He is the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District rural issues group coordinator. He has been involved in education in villages and small towns as a school governor in Norfolk and Essex.

Over the past three years he has been involved in the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative (MCTI) process as Okehampton locality chair of the Okehampton MCTI partnership and is now involved with the successor body to Okehampton MCTI, Devon Heartlands. Being chair of the community cinema group ‘Okehampton Moving Pictures’ and also working on projects for young people in the Okehampton partnership MCTI Area.
(Also a member of DRN's Management Advisory Group)

Vice Chair

David Incoll (Vice Chair)
West Devon Borough Council
David Incoll is the Chief Executive of West Devon Borough Council, and of South Hams District Council. The authority was a key player in achieving a successful Rural Renaissance bid for the Objective 2 areas of Devon and David personally contributed to that process. In addition, the Borough Council has developed and run a number of programmes and regeneration projects and frequently acted as the Accountable Body. David has been actively involved in many of these.
(Also a member of DRN's Management Advisory Group)

Other Members

Michael Cozens
South Hams District Council
Michael is the Economic Development Officer for South Hams District Council. He is also a Board member of Devon Renaissance and Enterprise South Devon, Chair of the Redundant Building Grant Steering Group, and is a Plymouth sub-Regional Economic Partnership representative.

Tom Langdon-Davies
Devon Towns Forum
As Chair of Crediton MCTi, Tom Langdon-Davies has ‘on the ground’ experience of creating a community strategic action plan, which is now in the process of implementation. As Chair of the Devon Towns Forum and Board member of the Regional MCTi Association, Tom has also shared that experience with other Market Towns in Devon and played a key role in helping them to join forces and learn from each other through the Devon Towns Forum.
(Also a member of DRN's Management Advisory Group)

Dr Matt Lobley
Centre for Rural Policy Research, University of Exeter
Senior Research Fellow/Assistant Director of Centre for Rural Policy Research. Matt's research largely focuses on understanding influences on and impacts of farm household behaviour. In particular, main interests relate to the role of farm households in the management of the countryside, for example, through exploring the impact of CAP reform; attitudes towards agri-environmental policy; and the environmental and social impacts of agricultural restructuring. Beyond agriculture and the environment, other research interests include the design and impact of rural development initiatives and, more broadly, the social sustainability of rural communities.

Jim Masters
Devon Maritime Forum
Jim is currently working as the Co-ordinator for the Devon Maritime Forum. The Forum is a partnership working at a county-wide strategic level promoting the sustainable use of our coasts and seas. It acts as a focal point for all marine stakeholders in Devon, advocating robust decision-making and conflict resolution where appropriate, as well as providing overviews and advice to coastal practitioners, raising awareness for maritime issues, lobbying for key maritime legislation and supporting different sectors through the dissemination and circulation of information.

Professor Ian Mercer CBE
South West Forest
Ian Mercer is currently chairman of the South West Forest Partnership, which pursues integrated rural development via a forestry catalyst in NW Devon and NE Cornwall, it involves a series of projects funded from RES, VTS and Objective 1 via DEFRA. He is also chairman of the Dartmoor Commoners Council, and was the first chief executive of the Countryside Council for Wales handling a budget of £20m promoting projects among third parties and implementing others directly. Ian previously chaired the DRN.
(Also a member of the Management Advisory Group)

Steve Pitcher
North Devon Plus
Steve Pitcher is a chartered town planner with experience also in transportation and economic development. Has managed projects and also has several years experience of managing funding programmes (including RDP, Obj 5b, Obj 2, LEADERII). Currently a senior manager in local government, with specific responsibilities for housing, leisure, community development, community safety, planning, building services, estates and engineering functions.

Charlie Plowden
East Devon District Council
Countryside Service Team Manager, with overall responsibility for the Countryside Team, its budgets and corporate direction. A Service Plan - framework for action 2004 – 2008 has been produced to guide the Team’s activities.

Mary Ridgway
Devon Strategic Housing Group
Mary is the Devon Affordable Housing Co-ordinator, and has been working for the DSHG since January 2005. She co-ordinates the Affordable Housing Task Group and provdes the secretariat for the main partnership meetings. Mary's post is hosted by South Hams DC.

Sonia Thurley
Environment Agency
Sonia works within the Cornwall and Devon Area Team at the Environment Agency.

Jay Talbot
Community Council of Devon
The Community Council of Devon is an independent registered charity supporting rural communities to lead their own development and regeneration. Jay Talbot, Chief Executive, has extensive experience in rural and urban community development work. He is a founder member of Devon Forum and Devon Consortium, and a member of Devon Rural Network, South West Rural Taskforce, ChangeUp South West Steering Group, Devon Objective 2 Programme Monitoring Committee, and North Devon Community Alliance.

Mary Talbot-Rosevear
Small Family Farms Association
Mary is the Secretary for the Small Family Farms Association (SFA). The SFA is a non-for-profit organisation representing small farmers across the UK.

Peter Tansey
Devon Renaissance
Peter Tansey is the Chairman of Devon Reniassance. He is the Regional Manager for BT's Education and Local Government Division for the South West and has been with BT for 22 years.

He sits on the board of the North Devon and Exmoor Regeneration Company and is involved in a number of programmes ranging from broadband4devon and ActNow to SW1 and the Bristol Digital Media Group. Peter works closely with Plymouth University, the SWERDA, GOSW and a number of local SW agencies.

Martin Taylor
Devon Conservation Forum
Long time Trustee of the Devon Wildlife Trust, Devon Conservation Forum, Kingdon House Community Association in Tavistock and the Tavistock Homelessness Trust. Also a member of Tavistock Town Council

The aim of the Conservation Forum is to preserve, protect and enhance the rural, urban and maritime environment of Devon and to conserve and protect its wildlife.

Martyn Warren
Rural Futures Unit, University of Plymouth
Martyn Warren is the Director of the Rural Futures Unit at the University of Plymouth. Rural Futures is a ‘community of practice’ within the University of Plymouth, linking academics with each other and with practitioners, to the benefit of those living and working in rural areas.

Martyn is also a member of the Policy and Governance in Europe Research Group.