Cindy Barnett, Chairman Mike Dodden, Honorary Treasurer John Howson, Deputy Chairman John Thornhill, Deputy Chairman
Cindy Barnett, Chairman
Mike Dodden, Honorary Treasurer
John Howson, Deputy Chairman
John Thornhill, Deputy Chairman
Cindy
Barnett
Chairman
National experience: member of Council March 2001; member of the Criminal Justice System Committee October 2001; Deputy Chairman of the Association 2002 – 2005; Chairman of the Judicial Policy and Practice (formerly Criminal Justice System) Committee 2002 – 2005. Elected Association Chairman and Chairman of Board of Trustees 2005. Member of all Association standing committees. As Deputy Chairman, Association Representative on Criminal Enforcement Policy Advisory Group, Effective Trial Management Programme, National Bail Issues Group, Criminal Case Management Framework Group, Intermittent Custody Project Board, Integrated Domestic Violence Courts National Implementation Project Board, member of JSB Magisterial and Family sub-committee. Currently, joint Chairman, National Sentencer/NOMS Consultation Group; member, JSB Magisterial Committee; Sentencing Advisory Panel guidelines advisory group; member of Judges’ Council, its Executive Committee and various working groups.
Magisterial experience: appointed 1986; deputy chairman in Adult, Youth and Family courts; Family Panel Chairman 2000-2002. Elected Deputy Chairman of Bench, 2002. Committee work:- Juvenile Justice Liaison, Probation Liaison, Bench General Purposes, Croydon`s MCC; South East London Probation Committee; Lord Chancellor`s Advisory Committee (9 years); Croydon Area Child Protection Committee; Croydon Domestic Violence Joint Planning Team.
Other experience: member of Board of Visitors 1994-2002; Chairman of Board, HMP Downview 1997 - 2000; Governor, Croydon High School, from 1993; Chairman of Governors 2000 – 2005. Senior Course in Criminology, Cambridge 2004.
Background: married, two sons. Qualifications: MA, ARCM, PGCE. Qualified as a teacher; Civil Service (fast stream entrant) until children arrived; taught part-time until becoming committed to voluntary work.
John Thornhill
Deputy Chairman
National experience: joined Council first in Nov 1993; a member of the Training Committee from October 1996 until 2002; retired form Council 2002; rejoined Council in 2004; elected to Executive Committee in 2004 and then to Board of Trustees in 2005; appointed to Judicial Policy and Practice Committee in Sept 2004; elected Deputy Chairman November 2005; member of all nine standing committees; Association representative to: joint Association/Justice Clerks Society liaison committee; Judicial Studies Board Adult Courts Training committee; National Strategy group for Drugs Courts Pilot; joint MA/Probation Board programme - Local Crime Community Justice; Magistrates in Community Project.
Magisterial experience: appointed to Liverpool City Bench 1982; deputy chairman in Adult, Youth and Family courts; appointed court chairman for adult, youth and family courts; Magistrates Courts Committee 1993 – 1997; Training Sub Committee; held offices of training organiser, treasurer, secretary and chairman of the Merseyside branch of the Association; Inaugural Chairman – Merseyside Joint Training Board Regional 1989 – 1994.
Other experience: Chairman Board of Directors Garston (Liverpool) Youth Training Scheme; member of Board of Visitors HMP Altcourse 1997-2003; Chairman of Governors, Sudley Junior School, Liverpool.
Background: qualified as a teacher in Scotland; took up Director of Studies post on return to England; transferred to the advisory and inspection service; Ofsted inspector; called to bar on 2002 - member of Middle Temple; practising in civil matters; referee at professional level in both football and rugby league; international athletics official; Rotarian; held national training offices in both athletics and Rotary; secretary of a regional Scottish cultural organisation.
John Thornhill awarded the degree of M Phil (Law)
John Howson
Deputy Chairman
National experience: member of Council November 2001; member of the Licensing Committee 2002-2004, Deputy Chairman 2004 – 2005; Member of the Judicial Policy and Practice Committee 2004 – 2007. Magistrates' Association representative on Judicial Finance Liaison Group; alternate on Judicial Estates Committee; Magistrates' Association representative on Licensing Bill committee 2002-03; Licensing Advisory Group member 2003-2007; member Gambling Act advisory Group 2003-2007; member World Cup and international cricket ad hoc working party. Elected Deputy Chairman November 2007.
Magisterial experience: appointed magistrate in 1990; Licensing Committee member 1996-2003; chairman 2000-2003. Chaired courts since 1996. Member Quorum Club Executive Committee since 2001.
Other experience: governor of various primary and secondary schools in the 1980s and 1990s. Member CMJA and has attended two international conferences in Malawi and Canada. Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
Background: director of a research and information company specializing in the education field. Has been a teacher, lecturer and for one year, a government adviser. Provided evidence to a number of parliamentary Select Committee inquiries. Education adviser to Liberal Democrats since 1997; columnist since 1998 for The Times Educational Supplement.
Mike Dodden
Honorary Treasurer
National Experience: Appointed Treasurer of the Association and Trustee in May 2007. Member of the Focus Group for the Sentencing Guidelines Council in 2005. Founder Regional Representative for the South West on the National Bench Chairman’s Forum when established in 2004.
Magisterial Experience: Appointed to Sedgemoor Bench in 1989 he served on the youth panel, probation forum, and was vice chair of the Somerset Magistrates’ Courts Committee before joining the Avon & Somerset MCC on amalgamation. He remained on this committee, serving as vice chair of the Finance Sub Committee until being appointed Bench Chair in 2002. In 2004 he chaired the Avon & Somerset Bench Chair and Justices’ Clerks’ Forum. Mike has a special interest in the Domestic Violence Courts, Sedgemoor having run one since 2005. He has served on the Domestic Abuse Court Steering and Operations Groups. He is a member of his Bench BTDC.
Other Experience: Mike qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1977, established an accountancy practice in Bridgwater in 1979 and now has two partners and nine staff. With his wife he also runs a general insurance brokerage and independent financial advisor business set up in 1994.
He is a past president of the Bridgwater Club Lions Clubs International, and served as zone Chairman for that organisation in 1984. He has been Governor of Enmore Church of England Primary School for over twelve years, serving as Chair for the past four years.
Background: Mike was educated at Dr. Morgan’s Grammar School in Bridgwater and is active in organising an Annual reunion Dinner.
He married Kim in 1979, they have two children and in his spare time Mike is Chairman of the local operatic society, and is an avid supporter of Somerset and England Cricket. He has a keen interest in the musical theatre and enjoys foreign travel.
