Civic Voice to hold inaugural meeting to re-launch the All Party Parliamentary Group for Civic Socie

Craig Mackinlay MP to be elected as Chair of the group

Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic society movement, is to hold inaugural meeting of their All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic Societies on Monday 16th November.

The meeting will see Craig Mackinlay MP proposed as Chair and will be the first in a series held over the coming year. Craig is also the Chair of the APPG for Listed Buildings.

The APPG will meet to formally elect the four officers and will introduce topics which will be discussed by the group over the course of the year. Topics to be discussed at future meetings will consist of the loss of conservation officers and the impact that will have on the historic environment, public realm issues, planning issues, localism issues and in more general terms giving communities from around England a voice.

Ian Harvey, Executive Director of Civic Voice, said “Our APPG is key to answering our members requests for their communities nationwide to be able to take control of what happens to them and their local areas. It really is a marvellous opportunity to exchange views between parliamentarians, representatives from the civic movement and others with an interest in making places more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive. We are delighted that Craig Mackinlay has agreed to Chair the group as he has extensive knowledge of the issues facing the civic movement as the Ramsgate Society are situated in his South Thanet constituency.”

Craig Mackinlay MP, added “It is great news that the APPG for civic societies will be relaunched for this Parliamentary session. It is through this all party group that the voice of communities can be heard in Parliament and have a platform in the policy making process.”

Notes for Editors

Civic societies are asked to invite their MP to attend the meeting taking place in Room P in Portcullis House at 1pm.

Craig Mackinlay

Craig was born in Chatham, educated at Rainham Mark Grammar School and then attended Birmingham University to study Zoology and Comparative Physiology.
A strange degree to take some might say, but he returned to his business roots and joined a national firm of Chartered Accountants and took the appropriate professional examinations to become a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and then more examinations to become a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. There are only about 1,500 nationwide to be qualified members of both of these professional bodies.

He recently took a further qualification allowing him to conduct probate work more usually associated with Solicitors. He remains in practice as a partner in a Kent firm of Chartered Accountants, with a staff team of 25. He knows what it is to run a business, and through the huge network of clients, know the difficulties and realities of business life on the ground.
Craig has been a magistrate in Kent for 10 years. He has been a volunteer for the Charity Tax Help for Older People (TOP) covering Kent, which provides help for pensioners, often newly bereaved. He is additionally a trustee on a number of well-known Kent charities, and a previous trustee of The Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.
He also served as a Councillor in Kent for 8 years
Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement. We work to make the places where everyone lives more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive and to promote civic pride. We speak up for civic societies and local communities across England. We believe everyone should live somewhere they can be proud of and we know how people feel about places because we feel the same way. Civic societies are the most numerous participants in the planning system. Since its launch in April 2010 Civic Voice has been joined by over 290 civic societies with 75,000 members. Further information is available at http://www.civicvoice.org.uk including how to join Civic Voice (£10 individuals) and contact details for local civic societies.

Civic societies who attended the BIMBY Housing Toolkit launch and who will be participating in the pilot period consist of Ilkley Civic Society, Aldershot Civic Society, The Canterbury Society, Malvern Civic Society, Pershore Civic Society, Wakefield Civic Society, Margate Civic Society, Pontefract Civic Society, Potteries Heritage Society, Oswestry and District Civic Society, Southgate District Civic Trust and The Coventry Society.


Further information
Ian Harvey .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
T0151 707 4319/ 07877096968
T @civic_voice