Skegness Sub Group

Chris Baron

Chair of the Board

Born in Skegness, Chris went to the local grammar school before studying Business Studies at Shefield Polytechnic. He went on to qualify as a Chartered Management Accountant working for Fogarty's, Lin Pac and British Fuels before moving to Butlins and settling back in Skegness for the last 30 years. For the last 20 years Chris was the Resort Director for the Skegness Resort. He has been actively involved in promoting the coastal strip and the Visitor Economy for Lincolnshire representing both on the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and as Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Visitor Economy Board. He is also Vice Chair of the Visit Lincs Coast Destination Business Improvement District, Chair of the Advisory Council of the Skegness Academy and a member of the Coastal Developers Forum.

Claire Draper

Vice Chair of the Board

Claire Draper is the Director of Finance at Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells. Having attended Skegness Grammar School, Claire briefly left the Lincolnshire area to attain a Law Degree at the University of East Anglia and went on to begin her Chartered Accountancy training in Peterborough and London. She later returned to Skegness to work for a local accountancy firm, gaining a huge wealth of knowledge of local businesses and the issues that they face. Now a fellow of the ICAEW, Claire has worked at Fantasy Island for 10 years and is committed to driving economic growth and sustainability for the area. As a keen triathlete, Claire is passionate about the incredible natural landscape our area has to offer and is steadfast in her drive to help the Joint Towns' Deal Board secure investment for Skegness and Mablethorpe with a fully transparent and integrated approach.

Paul McCooey

Director, Duncan & Toplis

Paul is a Director at Duncan & Toplis and has led the Skegness office since 2013. Having graduated from UCD Paul undertook his professional training in Dublin qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in February 2000 before working in his home town of Monaghan until he moved to Lincolnshire in 2007.
With Duncan & Toplis Paul initially worked as a manager in their Newark on Trent office before coming to Skegness in 2013. Since coming to Skegness he has become involved in many local groups including becoming a Director of two local charities, treasurer and now Chair of Skegness Area Business Chamber.
As a long time fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland Paul has worked with hundreds of businesses over the years and is passionate about supporting owner managed businesses navigate their challenges and take advantage of their opportunities. Through his involvement with clients, charities and business groups he has developed a strong belief in the importance of working together to make the most out of the opportunities and resources at our disposal to have the most positive impact on our community.
Married with three children Paul spends his free time with his family who enjoy nothing more than spending days on the coast enjoying the simple pleasures of our coast and all the things a trip to the seaside with a young family entails.

Richard Tice MP

Boston & Skegness

Richard Tice is the Member of Parliament for Boston & Skegness and was first elected in 2024 to represent the area. He is the Deputy Leader of Reform UK which he co-founded in 2020.

Richard entered politics with a focus on issues like Brexit and public policy reform. He has been vocal about his views on governance, immigration and economic management, often advocating for a free-market approach and ensuring the property sector works for all. Richard has also been an advocate for a strong education system, acting as a governor and trustee to support varying schools, as well as donating funds to various education charities to support schools nationwide.

In addition to his political career, Tice is a media personality, frequently appearing on news programs to discuss current events and political issues, as well as working within the property sector. His work reflects a commitment to addressing concerns related to national sovereignty and economic independence.

Robert Parker

Micronclean - Managing Director

Robert has been Managing Director of Micronclean for the last 6 years having joined the business as Finance Director in 2007. Micronclean operates 3 specialist garment laundries in Lincolnshire supplying pharmaceutical and other niche businesses. In recent years Micronclean have developed a sterile consumable business that now exports to over 30 countries with core products manufactured in Skegness. Our latest venture is opening a cleanroom laundry in Bangalore. Away from work his interests include Rowing and Gardening and he is married with 3 teenage children. Robert is also currently Chairman of Boston Rowing Club and Governor at Bourne Grammar school.

Councillor Steve Kirk

East Lindsey District Council (Portfolio Holder for Coastal Economy)

Steve has lived in Skegness for the last 38 years. He has two children that were both educated in the town before heading off to university. Steve represents Skegness on the Town District and County Councils. In addition, he is Portfolio Holder for the Coastal Economy, Employment and Skills at the district council. Steve is a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Steve runs his own training company that delivers Assessor and Internal Quality Assurance qualifications across the UK from its centre in Boston, Manchester, Birmingham and London. He also runs a consultancy service for organisations working in or about to enter the FE sector. Prior to this Steve spent 10 years as an Area Manager for a London based Housing Association. The Housing association specialist in housing and support for those with mental health, drug or alcohol problems. Steve sits on a number of different boards including the Lincolnshire Coastal Destination Bid and Skegness Trading Company and is a trustee of two local charities; East Lindsey Information Technology Centre (First College) and Skegness Sports Association. He is also a member of the Gibraltar Point Advisor Committee. In his spare time, Steve likes to get some sleep.

Jacqui Bunce

Programme Director – Strategic Estates, Partnerships & Planning - NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board

Jacqui has worked in Lincolnshire since 2017, prior to this she spent 15 years leading and delivering strategic change programmes and projects across Hertfordshire. This included countywide changes to hospital services, the development of the award winning New QEII Hospital Welwyn Garden City and the refresh of the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy in 2016.

She joined the NHS in Hertfordshire in 2002, after a career in the commercial and charity sectors. Her NHS work has involved leading on strategic planning and implementing change across the county. Jacqui led the development of the New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City from inception to financial close, a project which involved significant stakeholder engagement in a politically challenging environment. All of these changes have been made in the context of developing sustainable integrated services which involve social care and the voluntary sector, in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for all.

Claire Foster MA PGCE

Boston College - CEO

Claire has devoted a 25-year career to working in further and higher education. She is passionate about improving people’s life chances through the transformational power of education, skills and training. Claire has worked in several successful colleges, initially as a teacher in the creative arts. She has been a senior leader for 7 years and proudly now, as the Principal and CEO of Boston College. She has developed many new and different approaches to educational challenges and enjoys the chance to challenge the ‘norm’. As a proud mother of three grown up children, she is particularly pleased that Thomas, her son with Down’s Syndrome, demonstrates the usefulness of people with educational needs, working in the East Coast family business that she and her husband runs.

Although she started her current college role in the midst of the pandemic (yes,… that was interesting…), Claire has worked quickly to build strong, purposeful partnerships with businesses in Boston and its surrounds, to secure mutually beneficial opportunities, such as the Town Deal, made possible from effective collaboration.

Councillor Colin Davie

Lincolnshire County Council (Executive Councillor for Economy & Place)

Colin Davie is the Executive Councillor for Economy & Place at Lincolnshire County Council. This is a position he has held since 2013 and one to which he was reappointed, following elections in May 2017. He has been a member of the County Council since 2005. He is also a Director and Board Member of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership. He is also a director of National research charity, the Renewable Energy Foundation.

Colin lives on his family farm, where he grew up in the Village of Orby, close to the Lincolnshire coast and is married to Vanessa. He studied Politics and Economic History in London and then went into the Entertainment Industry where he has had a hugely successful career as an Agent, Manager and Promoter of major International events for nearly 35 years. The company he founded in 1992 (Planet 7 Entertainment Ltd) continues to provide event services internationally and he has proudly worked with such stars as Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie & Andrea Boccelli. He has also coordinated major events such as Miss World and the IIFA Awards and produced musical theatre events such as Mama Mia, Chicago and the Sound of Music in the Middle East.

He is a passionate advocate for stronger International relationships to aid economic growth and has been a champion of stronger ties between Hunan and Lincolnshire since he took office in 2013. He believes in a strong interconnected World based on mutual relationships and is a strong advocate for China and India been central to a successful global economic model for the future. He also believes emerging markets will drive a successful global economy and sees his country as Global Britain, trading and working in partnership across the globe.

Ann Hardy

CEO TEC Partnership

Ann is the CEO of the TEC Partnership which is a group of colleges, training providers and 14-16 school provision which covers the coastal and rural areas from Skegness to Scarborough. Ann took up her role in February 2022 but had worked for the Partnership for the last 6 years at Scarborough TEC which is a general further education college. During that period of time has relocated to the college to a new site, rebranded the organisation and overseen a rapid improvement in achievement rates for students. Ann is committed to supporting young people and adults to achieve their career goals and throughout her career she has ensured that the organisations she works for put students with special educational needs and disabilities at the heart of their offer.

Caroline Killeavy

YMCA - CEO

Caroline joined YMCA Lincolnshire as Chief Executive in 2018, following a successful senior leadership career in the public/not for profit sectors, more recently leading the community team for a large national charity.

Caroline's expertise lies in community development and involvement, urban regeneration and community development/support. Lincolnshire YMCA has been supporting communities across Lincolnshire for the past 150 years and the current portfolio consists of supported and emergency accommodation, community based child and youth services, training & skills development programmes and physical & mental wellbeing support services.

Institute of Directors - Winner Third Sector Director of the Year (East Midlands) 2019.
Regional Finalist - Forward Ladies Public Sector Award 2019.

Deborah Higton

Environment Agency - Area Coastal Manager

PCC Marc Jones

Lincolnshire Police & Crime Commissioner

Marc Jones is a prominent figure in public service and community safety, currently serving as the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Lincolnshire, a role he has held since 2016 and before that he was the Executive Councillor for Finance and Property for Lincolnshire County Council.

Marc's extensive experience and leadership capabilities across local, regional and national levels solidify his position as a dedicated advocate for effective and responsive policing and community safety.

The first Person to hold the position of Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) for two terms, representing PCCs, elected Mayors and non-Home Office policing bodies such as Civil Nuclear, City Of London and British Transport Police Authorities at a national level. He also oversaw the inclusion of Scotland and Northern Ireland Police Authorities, creating a UK-wide organisation for policing governance for the first time.

Marc has influenced significant change across a range of policing and community safety areas and has held prominent positions in the police governance landscape such as national lead for serious and organised crime, victim services and child protection, as well as rural and heritage, and has sat on a number of Ministerial boards to shape national policy and legislation.

He is a passionate member of the National Board of the College of Policing, the Open University Partnership & Advisory Review Board and a Trustee of the National Police Arboretum Memorial Trust.

Locally Marc is driven to see effective and efficient partnerships keeping our communities feeling and being safe, to drive down crime and to ensure the policing service is one that residents can be truly proud of.

Councillor Adrian Findley

Mayor of Skegness

I’ve been in Skegness 54 years which is all my life, I’m a family man and currently a self-employed construction worker of 39 years.

As a representative of the Skegness Town Council, I’m also a member of the Management Committee, Events Working Group, Remembrance Parade Working Group, Civic Awards Working Group, Honours Working Group, Capital Working Group, North Parade Bowling Greens Working Group, Long Term Plan for Towns (sub group).

I’m also a member of the Skegness Royal British Legion, St Mary’s and St Clements Church Yard Volunteers and Skegness Carnival.

A regular contributor to many local projects, charity fundraisers and organisations.

With all this in mind its clear my main purpose is to continue with my passion and community spirit with a positive outlook for the benefit of all.

Emma Tatlow

CEO of Active Lincolnshire

Emma Tatlow is CEO of Active Lincolnshire. Funded by Sport England, we connect and enable organisations to reduce inactivity and influence the collective goals set out in the local Let’s Move Lincolnshire strategy for physical activity. We build a shared understanding of inactivity, champion equality and inclusion, sustainability and welfare and integrate physical activity into all sectors, policies, strategies, and education. Improving lives through the positive power of movement.
We adopt an insight-driven approach to understanding and enabling solutions that promote physical activity and sport for everyone at every life stage. We focus on addressing inequalities and work collaboratively with partners to remove barriers to participation, supporting inactive individuals to become active, by enabling others to create relevant opportunities.

With a focus on physical activity supporting wider outcomes, including health inequalities, community cohesion, pride in place and skills and leadership development Active Lincolnshire is increasingly focussing on areas of greatest need in Lincolnshire, including the coast.

Emma previously worked in the visitor economy sector, locally and nationally. She adopts a partnership and collaborative approach to working and is committed to improving outcomes for the benefit of the people of Lincolnshire and as a member of the Connected Coast Board will commit to joining opportunities across investment streams to meet local need.

Tracy Stringfellow

CEO Heritage Lincolnshire

Tracy’s background is in the heritage sector, having worked for Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust for the last eight years and previously for the Royal borough of Greenwich. She has worked in museum education in Birmingham and Lincolnshire and was Museums Manager for North East Lincolnshire Council before moving to the south east and London in 2009. She was born and raised in Grimsby. As well as her extensive experience of working on major projects in the heritage sector, Tracy is a trustee of WSUP, the Woolwich Service Users Project, a charity which supports people at risk of homelessness in south east London.

Steve Andrew

Hildreds Shopping Centre, Centre Manager

I have worked at The Hildreds for 35 years in various management roles and been Centre Manager for 11. I have a wife, Penny and 2 grown up children, Micky and Jack who are both married and a wonderful grandson - Teddy. I Enjoy planning and taking part in events, often bringing new and exciting experiences to the town for the first time. I am a potter and sculptor by trade, and I am responsible for designing and hand carving all of The Hildreds seasonal displays which are mainly made out of recycled polystyrene packaging, glued, carved, covered in cement then hand painted to finish. I also proudly hold the position of “Honoured Citizen” of Skegness since 2010.

Steve Larner

Skegness Town Council – Town Clerk

Steve has worked in Local Government for 46 years, including two London Boroughs, a Lincolnshire District Council and for the last 13 years as Town Clerk in Skegness.

Steve started his career in Local Government Finance and became a Finance Manager specialising in Housing. He moved into IT and became an IT Manager before becoming Head of Information Services.

Steve developed his career taking on responsibility for Customer Services and then eventually becoming Head of Organisational Development broadening skills into HR and performance management.

Steve moved into the role Town Clerk wanting to reconnect with the front line of public services.

Brad Johnson

Volunteer Communications Lead – East Coast Pride

Brad Johnson is a well-respected professional with extensive experience in the education industry. He holds a Master’s in Business and Organisation Strategy, which he earned with distinction, along with a BA (Hons) degree in Marketing and Event Management.

As well as being the Head of Communications for an international education organisation, Brad is also the Volunteer Communications and Stakeholder Lead for East Coast Pride, an organisation champion LGBTQIA+ rights along the east coast.

Brad has held several senior roles in his career, including Regional Manager (Africa and Middle East), International Marketing Lead and Corporate Brand Manager for a leading UK university. He has also held the role as the Client Relations and External Communications Manager at the world's largest education agency.

In addition to his professional experience in the private sector, Brad has also made voluntary contributions to education organisations. He served as an Academic Board Member of the University of Hertfordshire and has been a School Governor in both Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire.

Brad is a Registered Lobbyist and an Accredited PR Practitioner with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Chartered Marketer with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and a Chartered Manager with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Jacqueline Evans

Inspector 255, Coast Neighbourhood Team

I have served with Lincolnshire Police for over 19 years and have had several different roles during that time including front line response policing and am a qualified detective. I have a real passion for working on the Coast and will strive to make this area a safe place to live, work and visit. Neighbourhood Policing is an area I have always had a keen interest in.

David Bruce

Lead Community Connector First Coastal & Rural PCN

I am the Lead Community Connector for Skegness, Spilsby & District. I am very passionate about mental health support and ensuring everyone is aware of how to access it. 4 years ago I founded Bro Pro UK, a men’s mental health support group. Bro Pro is a safe place for men to meet, socialise and talk. We now have 14 locations county wide with another 3 launching later this year.