A Warm Welcome by the College Council

Firstly, the Clifton College is a charity. The College is governed by the Council and comprises three schools known as the Upper School, the Preparatory School, and Butcombe, the Pre-Preparatory School.

The Members of Council are elected (at the Annual General Meeting of the College) on the basis of nominations received based on the Council’s specifications concerning eligibility, personal competence, specialist skills and local availability and also on the advice of the Head of College. One third of the members of the Council and the Treasurer must retire each year but may stand for re-election. New Council members are introduced to the workings of the College and its schools, including Council Policy and Procedures, at an induction and training workshop specially organised for them by the Head and Bursar.

Council delegates the day to day running of the College to the College Executive Committee (CEC), consisting of the Head of College, who is also Head Master of the Upper School, the Head of the Preparatory School and the Head of Butcombe; the Bursar; and the Managing Director of Clifton College Services Ltd. However, Council also appoints committees, including an audit and finance committee, from its members with particular responsibilities for assisting the CEC with the management of College affairs.

Council Members

Professor John Barron

President of the College

It is with great sadness we report that John has passed away. (More...)

MA, DPhil, VPSA, FKC, FSA. OC. Former Master of St Peter’s College Oxford. Retired 2003. Previously Professor of Greek, Public Orator and Pro Vice Chancellor, University of London. Appointed Governor Clifton College 1996 and President November 2000.

Andrew R Thornhill

Chairman of Council

QC 1985. OC. Corpus Christi, Oxford. Middle Temple. Called to Bar 1969. Head of Pump Court Chambers since 1991. Various Tax Planning publications. Appointed Governor 1986. Member of Council and Chairman of Clifton College since 1994.

Nick Tarsh

Joint Vice-Chairman of Council

Committees: Foundation – Chair, Governance – Chair,
Governors – Chair, Nominations

OBE, BA. OC. Clare College, Cambridge. Cambridge University XV, Lancashire XV. Barrister. Various positions in industry. Queen’s Award for Export Achievement 1983. Chairman PHET from 1993. Appointed Governor 1994. Member of Council 1995. Appointed Chairman of Clifton College Foundation Board June 2002. Appointed Vice Chairman of Council 2003. Awarded OBE 2006 for services to Relate charities and the community in Richmond-upon-Thames.

Phillip Howell-Richardson

Joint Vice-Chairman of Council

Committees: Upper School GPC,
Governance, Governors, Nominations

BA. OC. Mediator and Consultant in ADR with SJ Berwin LLP. Qualified Solicitor in 1975. Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators, member of the Executive Advisory Board of CPR, New York; mediator with the ICC, Paris; member of the Court of Appeal mediation advisory committee and its mediation scheme. Hon. Chairman of ADR Net. Appointed Governor and co-opted to Council in June 2001.

Christopher W Smith

Treasurer

Committees: Audit & Finance, Investment, Remuneration

FCA. OC. Partner in firm advising growing businesses, in many cases acting as part-time Director. Member of Bishops Council, Diocese of Bristol. Vice-Chairman of Diocesan Finance Committee. Member of Bristol Cathedral Finance Advisory Committee. Two sons attended Clifton. Appointed Governor and co-opted to Council June 2003. Appointed Treasurer, November 2003.

Nic Cooper

Committees: Preparatory School GPC,
Governance, Governors

MA, LLB. OC. Davidson College, N.Carolina, USA., Trinity College, Cambridge, Nancy University, France. Partner successively of Denton Hall & Burgin, Brown Cooper and Taylor Joynson Garrett. Currently Chairman of Compact Power. Appointed Governor 1990. Co-opted to Council November 2000.

John Cottrell

Committees: Investment – Chair, Remuneration – Chair,
Pensions – Chair, Audit & Finance

MA PhD FCA OC. Balliol College, Oxford. Member of Council since 1991, College Treasurer 1994-2003. Accountant with ES & A Robinson Holdings, subsequently DRG. Joined Wilcot (Parent) Co Ltd in 1969, manufacturer of paint products and chemicals. Retired as Chairman in 1994. Took an MA in Medieval Studies at Bristol University, obtained PhD in 2000. Now visiting lecturer at the University. Member of Audit Committee, Bristol University. Served on Bristol City Council, Board of Bristol and District Health Authority. Chairman of Governors, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 1984-2000. Trustee of a number of charities. Co-opted to Council 1991.

Brian J Hanson

Committees: Butcombe GPC – Chair, Audit

Educated at QEH Bristol. Chappel & Matthews 1974-1991 (partner 1976-91). Formed James & Co., property developers in 1992. Volunteer for Conservative Party since 1975, on National Board 1997-2000, President of National Conservative Convention 1999-2000. Awarded CBE for political services in 1996. Two sons at Clifton. Council Member since June 2002. Outside school: Chairman Conservative Party Members' Appeals' Committee - 2000 to present, Member Conservative Party National Property Advisory Committee 1988 to present, Trustee St James's Priory Rehabilitation Centre 2006 to present.

Stewart R Lang

Committees: Upper School GPC, Audit & Finance,
Foundation, Nominations

BSc., PhD. OC, Manchester University and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Director of various computer companies, co-founder Micro Focus Group plc. Fellow-Commoner, Sidney Sussex College. Various publications/papers. Appointed Governor 1994. Co-opted to Council January 2000.

Mrs Carol Lear

Committees: Butcombe GPC, Governance, Governors

BA (Hons). University of London (Classics). Recently retired Headmistress of Redland High School. Formerly Teacher of Classics at Cheltenham Ladies' College and Red Maids' School. Inspector of GSA Schools until 2002. Member of several local Societies. Appointed Governor and co-opted to Council November 2003.

Mrs Dinah Moore

Committees: Governance, Governors,
Nominations

BA (Hons) Bristol University in Philosophy (with English Literature). Solicitor. Treasurer Hereford Cathedral 2000/2001 and Lay Member of Chapter. Member of the Council of Bristol University and trustee and member of the Council of Water Aid. Manages small arable farm. Appointed Governor and co-opted to Council November 2003.

Alan Morgan

Committees: Foundation

OC. MA Jurisprudence, Trinity, Oxford. Called to Bar, Middle Temple 1974. Harvard Business School. MBA 1978. Director of McKinsey & Co. Strategy Consultants. Member Chancellor’s Court of Benefactors, Oxford University; Visiting Fellow Nuffield College, Oxford; Co-Founder MMC Ventures; Co-Founder Olivant & Company. Appointed Governor 1999. Council Member June 2002.

Richard Morgan

Committees: Remuneration

MA. Educ. Sherborne College, Caius College Cambridge. York University. Formerly Headmaster of Cheltenham College 1978-90. Warden of Radley College 1991-2000. JP. Glos 1978-90. Member of Adv. Council, Understanding British Industry 1977-79. Appointed Governor and Council Member 2000.

Chris Pople

Committees: Investment

ACA, ATII. OC. Parent of four Cliftonians / OC's. Chairman of the Oxwich group of funds. Member of the Board of Governors of The Red Maids School, Bristol. Appointed Governor 2007. Co-opted to Council as OC Representative March 2007.

Tim S Ross

Committees: CCSL Board – Chair, Audit & Finance

MA Sevenoaks School & Hertford College, Oxford. Worked as solicitor in City of London and as a Company Legal Adviser, before attending London Business School and moving into general management. Director of George Wimpey plc 1991 to 1996. Currently Chairman of May Gurney Integrated Services plc and Hargreaves Services, Deputy Chairman of Connaught plc and a Director of Ennstone plc and Lavendon Group plc. Member of Council at Bristol University. Appointed Governor 1996 and Council Member 2000.

Louis Sherwood

Committees: Audit & Finance – Chair,
Investment, Remuneration, Pensions

MA, MBA. Formerly Chairman of Gateway Foodmarkets, HTV and Clerical Medical Investment Group. Director of Business West and of Insight Investment Management Ltd. Member of the Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol. Appointed Governor of Clifton 1991. Member of Council 1992. Currently Chairman of the College Audit Committee.

Alison Streatfeild-James

Committees: Preparatory GPC – Chair

MA Jurisprudence 1985. St Catherine’s College, Oxford. Called to the bar 1987. Barrister and Mediator at 4 Pump Court, London, practicing in Civil and Commercial law. Parent with four children at Clifton College. Has served as Trustee and Director of Campaign to protect Rural England, on Bath Preservation Society, and local Parish Council. Governor of Clifton College from 2006, Council Member from 2007.

Roger S Trafford

Committees: Upper School GPC

MA. Educ. Hertford College, Oxford. Former Headmaster of Clifton Preparatory School 1983-93. Hon. OC. Headmaster King’s College Preparatory School, Taunton 1973-83. Headmaster Dragon School, Oxford 1993-2002. Chairman IAPS 1991-2. Chairman ISIS 1996-9. Deputy Chairman ISC 1999. Appointed Governor 2002 and co-opted to Council June 2003.

Brian Worthington

Committees: Upper School GPC, Nominations

MA, DipEd. Educ. Liverpool Institute High School, Downing. Cambridge. Lincoln College, Oxford. Assistant Master Dulwich College. Appointed to Clifton 1970. Senior Sixth Form Tutor 1989-2000. Retired Head of English, CC. Arts Tutor, Open University 1971-95. Visiting Student Princeton University; Schoolmaster Fellow, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 1983; Frank Fisher Travelling Award, 1996. Elected Upper School Staff Representative. Co-opted to Council November 2000.