Michael Lyons (UK politician)

Sir Michael Lyons (born 1950), is a former Labour Party councillor and council chief executive in the United Kingdom, who has also been involved in some of the key central government commissions and reports into local government finance from 2000 to 2007.cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6526001.stm
title = New BBC chairman sets out stall
first = Ian
last = Youngs
date = 5 April 2007
publisher = BBC News
accessdate = 2007-04-10] On 1 May 2007, Lyons became Chairman of the BBC Trust. [cite web
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/05_04_2007.html
title = Press release: "Sir Michael Lyons appointed BBC Chairman"
author = BBC Trust
date = 5 April 2007
accessdate = 2007-04-10] On 3 August 2007 a House of Lords all-party select committee criticised the way the appointment was handled, saying government ministers had too much influence over his appointment. Lyons dismissed the allegations, pledging "absolute independence and impartiality". [cite web
url = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=472828&in_page_id=1770
title = BBC job 'influenced' by Ministers
author = Daily Mail
date = 3 August 2007
accessdate =2007-08-07]

Biography

Michael Lyons was educated at Stratford Grammar School (London), Middlesex University, and at Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London. Whilst completing his formal education, he worked for two years as a part-time street trader at Bell St Market in London. [cite web
url = http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page11437.asp
title = New Chair appointed to the BBC
author = Government of the United Kingdom
date = 5 April 2007
accessdate = 2007-04-10] Lyons then worked as a lecturer in economics at the Wallbrook College, London and the University of Nottingham.

Lyons worked as an economist working in the public sector, and between 1980 and 1983 served as an elected Labour councillor on Birmingham City Council.cite web|url=http://www.lyonsinquiry.org.uk|title=The Lyons Inquiry into Local Government|accessdate=2007-04-10] He then became Chief Executive of three significant local authorities: Wolverhampton Borough Council (1985–90); Nottinghamshire County Council (1990–94); and then Birmingham City Council (1994–2001). Lyons was knighted in January 2000 in recognition of his services to Local Government.

During 2004 he was the chairman of two successful government projects: "Review of Public Sector Relocation" on behalf of the Chancellor and Prime Minister, and "Corporate Governance Commission" on behalf of Cardiff City Council. He was also Deputy Chairman of the Audit Commission for two years until October 2006, serving for a while as Acting Chairman. In March 2007 he published his final report and recommendations from his three year independent Inquiry into the future role, function and funding of local government.

Lyons was the head of Inlogov, a Public Policy school at Birmingham University from 2001 to 2006, and holds an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University.

Lyons is presently: chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Trust; a member of the boards of City Pride, Birmingham Marketing Partnership, Millennium Point Property Trust Company, the Royal Shakespeare Company [cite web
url = http://www.cbso.co.uk/?page=about/trustees/lyons.html
title = Sir Michael Lyons, Chairman
author = City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
accessdate = 2007-04-10] and SQW Group; and a non-executive director of Mouchel [cite web
url = http://www.mouchelparkman.com/80256da900420502/httppublicpages/246d4924bed55446802570c00033acf4
title = Sir Michael Lyons
author = Mouchel
date = 20 October 2006
accessdate = 2007-07-19] and Wragge & Co solicitorscite web
url = http://www.sqwgroup.com/pdfs/Board-appts_MLyons_WWells_Feb_2007.pdf
title = Sir Michael Lyons and Sir Williams Wells join SQW Group
author = SQW Group
date = 5 February 2007
accessdate = 2007-04-05] . He was previously a director of Central Independent Television until 1993.

Lyons is married and has three children.

References