Member appointments to the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee

1.     The Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) was established in April 1950 to operate a pension scheme for the local councils and other similar bodies in Northern Ireland. The pension scheme is a defined benefit pension scheme. NILGOSC is the corporate body responsible for the administration of the Scheme and is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities.

2.     The member positions are eligible for a daily allowance of £250 for a minimum commitment of two days per month.

3.     These appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.

4.     All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires political activity of appointees to be published.

5.   Biographical details:

New appointments:

Paul Francey

Mr Francey is a Union Branch Secretary and has previous experience of sitting on the NILGOSC Local Government Advisory Board. He has experience relating to communication and influencing skills, and experience of leading and managing on pay disputes within the public sector. He also brings governance, finance and public accountability knowledge to the Committee. Mr Francey holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Joan McCaffrey

Ms McCaffrey is a former Chief Finance Officer and a former Director of Corporate Services and Governance in a district council, where she used a range of communication skills to influence key decisions. She was also actively involved in the development and implementation of numerous Corporate Plans. She has been an Employer Organisation Representative Member on NILGOSC from 1 March 2016 to 29 February 2020. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Antoinette McMillen

Mrs McMillen has experience as a public sector Trade Union Official through which she has developed communication strategies and gained experience of building working relationships with people and organisations. As a TU Official she has experience of making decisions and tackling complex issues. She led teams through a range of difficult campaigns and reviews such as the Review of Public Administration. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Michael Rafferty

Mr Rafferty is a Chartered Accountant with experience across the private, public and third sectors, and is currently the Group Director of Finance & Resources for Choice Housing Association. He brings skills and experience relating to financial management and risk management to the Committee, in complex organisational and regulatory environments. Mr Rafferty also has project management experience, including the creation and implementation of new policies. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

John Tohill

Mr Tohill is Director of Finance and a member of Mid Ulster District Council’s Senior Management Team with responsibility for the finance function, and the design and implementation of effective controls. He has experience of using communication and influencing skills in a complex public sector reform environment involving challenging restructuring and cultural issues. He holds no other public appointments and has no political activity in the last 5 years.

Current Members:

Peter Caldwell

Mr Caldwell is the treasurer of Apex Housing Association Board of Management and a member of the NI Federation of Housing Associations Board. Previously he was Senior Manager with the former Western Health and Social Services Board with responsibility for business planning and performance management, skills and experience of which he brings to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Tom Irvine

Mr Irvine is a former Pensions Lecturer for the North West Regional College, the Pension Tutor for Unite the Union in Northern Ireland and a Trustee Director of the Visteon (UK) Pension Scheme until it transferred to the Pension Protection Fund. He is currently an Independent Assessor for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland and a Lay Representative on the NI Medical & Dental Training Agency. He has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

David Jackson MBE

Mr Jackson is the Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. He was previously the Head of Support Services at Coleraine Borough Council, prior to which he was a senior manager with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He brings skills relating to risk management, communications and financial planning to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Peter McMurray

Mr McMurray is the Lead Representative in Education for GMB the Union. He is also Branch Secretary and represents the GMB in a number of associated Councils, Committees and Forums, and brings this sectoral knowledge to the Committee. Through his role, he helps increase employees’ understanding of the benefits of belonging to the NILGOSC Scheme. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Sharon McQuillan

Ms McQuillan is currently the Deputy Chairperson of NILGOSC, and is the Payroll / Pension Manager for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, where she is also a Trade Union Representative. Her career background is within local government in Northern Ireland, where she has held a number of financial roles, experience of which she brings to the Committee. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Linda Neilan

Mrs Neilan is the Group Accounting Manager and Senior Finance Business Partner for Translink with responsibility for management and financial accounting, payroll and ticketing.  A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Linda spent her early career with Deloitte and is currently a member of the LGPS (NI) Scheme Advisory Board. She brings a range of financial skills and corporate governance experience to the member role. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

5.         Media enquiries to DFC Press Office: Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

6.         Follow the Department on twitter @CommunitiesNI

1.     The Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC) was established in April 1950 to operate a pension scheme for the local councils and other similar bodies in Northern Ireland. The pension scheme is a defined benefit pension scheme. NILGOSC is the corporate body responsible for the administration of the Scheme and is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities.

2.     The member positions are eligible for a daily allowance of £250 for a minimum commitment of two days per month.

3.     These appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.

4.     All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires political activity of appointees to be published.

5.   Biographical details:

New appointments:

Paul Francey

Mr Francey is a Union Branch Secretary and has previous experience of sitting on the NILGOSC Local Government Advisory Board. He has experience relating to communication and influencing skills, and experience of leading and managing on pay disputes within the public sector. He also brings governance, finance and public accountability knowledge to the Committee. Mr Francey holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Joan McCaffrey

Ms McCaffrey is a former Chief Finance Officer and a former Director of Corporate Services and Governance in a district council, where she used a range of communication skills to influence key decisions. She was also actively involved in the development and implementation of numerous Corporate Plans. She has been an Employer Organisation Representative Member on NILGOSC from 1 March 2016 to 29 February 2020. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Antoinette McMillen

Mrs McMillen has experience as a public sector Trade Union Official through which she has developed communication strategies and gained experience of building working relationships with people and organisations. As a TU Official she has experience of making decisions and tackling complex issues. She led teams through a range of difficult campaigns and reviews such as the Review of Public Administration. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Michael Rafferty

Mr Rafferty is a Chartered Accountant with experience across the private, public and third sectors, and is currently the Group Director of Finance & Resources for Choice Housing Association. He brings skills and experience relating to financial management and risk management to the Committee, in complex organisational and regulatory environments. Mr Rafferty also has project management experience, including the creation and implementation of new policies. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

John Tohill

Mr Tohill is Director of Finance and a member of Mid Ulster District Council’s Senior Management Team with responsibility for the finance function, and the design and implementation of effective controls. He has experience of using communication and influencing skills in a complex public sector reform environment involving challenging restructuring and cultural issues. He holds no other public appointments and has no political activity in the last 5 years.

Current Members:

Peter Caldwell

Mr Caldwell is the treasurer of Apex Housing Association Board of Management and a member of the NI Federation of Housing Associations Board. Previously he was Senior Manager with the former Western Health and Social Services Board with responsibility for business planning and performance management, skills and experience of which he brings to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Tom Irvine

Mr Irvine is a former Pensions Lecturer for the North West Regional College, the Pension Tutor for Unite the Union in Northern Ireland and a Trustee Director of the Visteon (UK) Pension Scheme until it transferred to the Pension Protection Fund. He is currently an Independent Assessor for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland and a Lay Representative on the NI Medical & Dental Training Agency. He has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

David Jackson MBE

Mr Jackson is the Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. He was previously the Head of Support Services at Coleraine Borough Council, prior to which he was a senior manager with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He brings skills relating to risk management, communications and financial planning to the Committee. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Peter McMurray

Mr McMurray is the Lead Representative in Education for GMB the Union. He is also Branch Secretary and represents the GMB in a number of associated Councils, Committees and Forums, and brings this sectoral knowledge to the Committee. Through his role, he helps increase employees’ understanding of the benefits of belonging to the NILGOSC Scheme. He holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Sharon McQuillan

Ms McQuillan is currently the Deputy Chairperson of NILGOSC, and is the Payroll / Pension Manager for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, where she is also a Trade Union Representative. Her career background is within local government in Northern Ireland, where she has held a number of financial roles, experience of which she brings to the Committee. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

Linda Neilan

Mrs Neilan is the Group Accounting Manager and Senior Finance Business Partner for Translink with responsibility for management and financial accounting, payroll and ticketing.  A Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Linda spent her early career with Deloitte and is currently a member of the LGPS (NI) Scheme Advisory Board. She brings a range of financial skills and corporate governance experience to the member role. She holds no other public appointments and has had no political activity in the last 5 years.

5.         Media enquiries to DFC Press Office at Press.office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

6.         Follow the Department on twitter @CommunitiesNI