The Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses was established by an Act of Parliament in 1786, authorising the construction of four lighthouses in Scotland – Kinnaird Head, North Ronaldsay, Scalpay and Mull of Kintyre – and the establishment of a Commission for their operation.
The Commissioners appointed at the time were the law agents of the Crown, Sheriffs of coastal counties, and the Lord Provosts and Provosts of Scottish cities and towns whose mercantile interests were involved. Over the years the numbers of the Commissioners varied, and further changes were brought about as a result of local government and sheriffdom re-organisation.
Today our Board of Commissioners are the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland; the Lords Provost of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and the conveners of the Councils for Highland, and Argyll and Bute; the Sheriffs Principal of all the sheriffdoms in Scotland; a person nominated by the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man and appointed by the Secretary of State; and up to five co-opted Commissioners.
Governance Board
Elaine Wilkinson, Chair
Hugh Shaw, Vice Chair
The Rt Hon Dorothy Bain KC
Ruth Charteris KC
Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar
Sheriff Principal Marysia Lewis
Sheriff Principal Sean Murphy
Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle
Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull
Councillor Robert Aldridge
Councillor Jacqueline McLaren
Councillor David Cameron
Councillor Maurice Corry
Councillor Bill Lobban
Dick Welsh
Commodore Brian Archibald
Rob Woodward
Commodore Mike Bullock
Captain Phillip Day
Mairi Rae
In attendance:
James McBrier
Secretary: Karen Charleson
Joint Strategic Board (JSB)
Brian Archibald, Chair
Elaine Wilkinson
Hugh Shaw
Mike Bullock
People Committee
Derek Pyle, Chair
Rob Woodward
Elaine Wilkinson
Aisha Anwar
Marysia Lewis
Part 1 Only
Mike Bullock
Mairi Rae
Phil Day
Lynn Armstrong
In attendance:
Mike Bullock (Part 2 Only)
Secretary: Karen Charleson
Navigation & Operations Committee
Hugh Shaw, Chair
Jamie Finlay
Dick Welsh
Brian Archibald
Ruth Charteris
Mike Bullock
Phil Day
Mairi Rae
Peter Douglas
Paul Hudson
Andrew Stevenson
Tom Cairns
Ewen Mackerchar
In attendance:
Gillian Burns
Adam Lewis
Secretary: Karen Charleson
Audit and Risk Committee
Dick Welsh, Chair
Brian Archibald
Aisha Anwar
Vacancy
Rob Woodward
In attendance:
Mike Bullock
Phil Day
Mairi Rae
Darren Cordner
Jim McBrier
Marc Chang (NAO)
James Baldwin (GIAA)
Secretary: Karen Charleson
HS&E Committee
Mike Bullock, Chair
Hugh Shaw
Nigel Ross
Phil Day
Mairi Rae
Billy Byrne
Vacancy
Derek Main
Thomas Cole
Graham Moffat
Fraser Byers
Mhairi Wren
Andrew Stevenson
Tom Cairns
Keith Parrish
Jim McBrier
James Mortimer
Campbell Reid
Craig Pake
Michael McBride
Secretary: Karen Ross
Northern Lighthouse Heritage Trust
Alastair Beveridge, Chair
Hugh Shaw
Brian Archibald
Mike Bullock
Mairi Rae
Trish Donaldson
Alison Di Rollo
Sean Rathbone
Secretary: Karen Charleson
Vessel Replacement Project Board
Mike Bullock, Chair
Phil Day
Mairi Rae
Brian Archibald
Hugh Shaw
Julie-Anne Humphreys
Rob Chadwick
James Anderson
Colin Brolly
Darren Cordner
Graham Moffat
Jim McBrier
Secretary: Karen Charleson
