Board Members

David Southward MBE is a retired civil engineer and Cumbria County Council cabinet member for economic development and property.

Born in Maryport, David was educated at Carlisle Grammar School and Imperial College, London. As a chartered civil engineer he worked in Australia, Romania and in London where he contributed to the design of UK nuclear power stations. In 1980 David joined BNFL at Sellafield as a Construction Manager and over 26 years supervised many significant projects predominantly in the Active Area.

David has represented Egremont on the county council for over twenty years and in 2013 was appointed to the cabinet with responsibility for economic development and property. His portfolio embraces the visitor economy and nuclear matters. His council responsibilities and appointments include chair of the Connecting Cumbria Partnership Board, chair of the Nuclear Issues Working Group, member of the West Cumbria Site Stakeholder Group, member of the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum, the Port of Workington, director of Britain’s Energy Coast, director of Carlisle Enterprise Zone, member of Copeland Community Fund, director of Cumbria Tourism, member of Hadrian’s Wall Partnership, member of the Industrial Communities Alliance, member of the Investment Panel of the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and governor of West Lakes Academy. In a private capacity David is a director of the Whitehaven Foyer and treasurer of St John’s Church, Beckermet.

David lives in Beckermet and is married with three adult children. His interests include hill walking, photography, foreign languages and international travel.

Dr Richard Cummings is Head of Science and Engineering at the Low Level Waste Repository, responsible for safety cases, waste inventory and acceptance, site monitoring and characterisation, and engineering. He is also closely involved in the Repository’s capping and development programmes.

Richard has 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry, specialising in radioactive waste management and disposal. Richard moved to Cumbria with his family in 2007 to take up a position with LLW Repository Ltd. Outside work, Richard enjoys orienteering and fell walking.

Richard is delighted to be joining the Copeland Community Fund Board and looking forward to working with colleagues in the support of local community organisations and initiatives.

Gillian Elliott is the Stakeholder Relations Lead in Cumbria for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

She has lived and worked in the area all her life and has over 35 years of experience working in partnership with businesses and the community to deliver projects across the area. She has experience of asset based community development, economic development, grant management and policy development.

Outside work, Gillian enjoys keeping fit and walking with her 4 dogs.

Keith was appointed to the Copeland community Fund Board as a Cumbria County Council representative in July 2017. He has been the Chair since June 2018 and will hold this position until June 2020.

Keith is currently County Councillor for Millom Without Division and Chair of the County Council Local Committee for Copeland. He is also elected to Copeland Borough Council in 1999 and is still a representative to date.

Keith has been a Parish Councillor for Drigg and Carleton Parish Council for over ten years and has previously been the Chair of the Cumbria Association of Local Councils.

Keith brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of local community issues, specifically in the Mid and South Copeland areas, to the Board.

I was born and educated in Leeds. On leaving school I worked in Insurance offices in Leeds, Oxford and Southampton. Moving to Cumbria in 1976 I worked at Sellafield and whilst my two sons were growing up worked from 1990 as school Secretary in Frizington Nursery School leaving in 2005 to work as caseworker in the MP’s office until 2017. In 2015 I was elected to Copeland Borough Council representing Frizington Ward and re-elected in 2019 representing the newly formed Frizington, Arlecdon, Lamplugh and Ennerdale Ward. I have also been clerk to Arlecdon and Frizington Parish Council since 1988 and clerk to Weddicar Parish Council since 2017. I am also a Trustee at Howgill Family Centre and a governor at Frizington Nursery School. I enjoy gardening, crosswords and taking part in community activities.