11 January 2008
Three CIPFA members were among representatives of the public services honoured in the New Year.
Alastair MacNish, who retired in November as chair of the Accounts Commission for Scotland, received an OBE for services to local government.
MacNish became South Lanarkshire's first chief executive in 1995 and, after leaving the council in 1999, was appointed chair of the commission in September 2001.
Alex Linkston, chief executive of West Lothian Council, was awarded the CBE for services to local government. He was just 16 years old when he started working for the council in 1965 as a trainee accountant. West Lothian's provost, Tom Kerr, said: 'Alex has provided decades of service to the people of West Lothian. This honour is richly deserved.'
Also awarded the OBE was David Peat, chief executive of East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, for services to the NHS. Peat is responsible for the community health services of almost 400,000 people in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale. He said: 'It's an honour in itself to serve the people I was brought up with and the area where I have lived virtually all my life.'
In other awards, the head teacher of Morpeth School in Tower Hamlets, East London, Alasdair Macdonald, was knighted for services to education.
Between 2003 and 2006, under his leadership, the school, in one of London's most deprived areas, went from having 47% of its pupils attaining five good GCSEs (excluding English and maths) to 75%, attaining the benchmark standard.
Macdonald, originally from Dundee, said he was 'excited' and 'daunted' at the news of his knighthood. 'I've never believed it possible for one head teacher to turn a school around. The head teacher is the figurehead, of course, but there's a huge sense of collective effort.'
Edinburgh University's vice-chancellor, Professor Timothy O'Shea, was also made a knight for services to higher education, and Robert Green, formerly director of inspectorate reform at Ofsted, was awarded a CBE.
Jules Pipe, mayor of the London Borough of Hackney, received a CBE for services to local government, as did Irene Lucas, chief executive of South Tyneside Borough Council.
PFjan2008
