New Chair

Jim Valentine has today (22 April 2010) taken over as Chair of the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), the influential body for Scottish local authority transportation professionals.

He takes up the position with a promise that driving new levels of efficiency through collaboration between authorities will be high on his agenda for the year ahead. Working closely with him will be the new Vice Chair, Ewan Wallace (Aberdeenshire Council), and Past Chair Ian Bruce (Glasgow City Council).

Depute Director for Perth and Kinross Council’s Environment Service, Jim Valentine will combine that role with leading SCOTS in its 24th year. SCOTS membership is drawn from all 32 Scottish councils, the seven Regional Transport Partnerships and Tayside Contracting. The Society’s members work at a strategic level, providing a channel between local and national government officials on service issues and policy agendas. “I am genuinely honoured to be taking over the role of SCOTS Chair and, building on Ian’s work,” says Jim. “I am looking forward to tackling the challenges facing the membership in these difficult times.”

He listed his priorities as:

• Ensuring that SCOTS members continue to have a strategic influence at the highest level within Government
• Building on the formal and informal networks within SCOTS to provide a more structured centre of excellence for good practice, benchmarking and knowledge management.

Jim Valentine is a native of Arbroath, but is now a resident of Perth and Kinross and was educated at Arbroath Academy, Kingsway and Bell Street Technical Colleges and Fife College. He has worked in Local Government throughout Scotland for the past 31 years. In February 2007, Jim was promoted to the post of Depute Director (Environment) with responsibility for Planning, Economic Development, Public Space, Regulatory and Waste Services and Operational delivery. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Environmentalist, and a fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers, and of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation.

Jim Valentine takes over from Ian Bruce who has chaired the Society over the last two demanding years. Ian remains as a key member of the Society’s Executive Committee, providing continuity at a time when Scottish local authorities face increasing demands and falling budgets.