The 125 leaders in the running for a place on the new policy advisory council have been revealed. Drawing on CEOs, executives and trustees from each region, the group will be launched to provide feedback and insight on policy issues facing trusts. It will not be a decision-making body, but will act as a “representative forum that can support CST in developing policy positions and speaking for the sector to external policy makers, including ministers”. Members have until Friday October 25 to vote for who they want to represent their region. Steve Rollett Writing for Schools Week in July, CST deputy chief executive Steve Rollett said: 鈥淲e are particularly keen to receive nominations from trust leaders from diverse backgrounds as we believe the sector can do more to be representative of the full richness of our communities. 鈥淲e will of course continue to engage with CST members through our usual channels; the council鈥檚 role is to supplement this by getting into more detail on specific issues.鈥� The elected group 鈥� for which voting opened yesterday 鈥� will consist of two accounting officers per region, one executive leader per region, two trustees nationally and two SEND or AP leaders altogether. However, the make-up of the nominees has been criticised by some leaders. Delta Academies Trust CEO Paul Tarn said on LinkedIn that “the ones doing a good job [should be asked to take on such positions], rather than those that come forward”. “Why are we totally disregarding any idea of a meritocracy, where people doing a great job, with great outcomes and strong financial management are actively sought out to help shape policy? I鈥檓 not referring to any individual or trust, just pleading for some sense.” Meanwhile, private school head Kausor Amin-Ali noted it was “very insightful to see the lack of ethnicity diversity amongst CEOs being put forward for consideration”. Rollett said CST will appoint up to four more members to ensure broad representation across demography, trust size and expertise. Here are the nominees鈥� 1. East Midlands Accounting officers Sean Kelly, Raleigh Education Trust CEO Rebecca Meredith, Transform Trust CEO Chris Wheatley, Flying High Trust CEO Andrew Burns, Redhill Academy Trust CEO Executive leaders Annette Montague, Greenwood Academies Trust chief education officer Claire Pannell, Anthem Schools Trust director of governance Laura Lowe, Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust director of HR Nimish Lad, Creative Education Trust head of curriculum development 2. East of England Accounting officers Lucy Scott, Eastern Learning Alliance CEO Andrew Cooper, South East Essex Academy Trust CEO Stuart Lock, Advantage Schools CEO Catherine Stalham, South Essex Academy Trust Julian Dutnall, LIFE Education Trust CEO Dr Tim Coulson, Unity Schools Partnership CEO Owen Jenkins, Broad Horizons Education Trust CEO Executive leaders Jonathan Lewis, The Diamond Learning Partnership Trust chief financial and operation officer Oliver Phillips, Aspire Schools Trust CFO Sharon Carlyon, Inclusive MAT COO Jonathan Mountstevens, Beaumont School deputy headteacher Chris Marks, Danes Educational Trust director of education Marios Solomonides, BMAT Education director of SEND 3. London Accounting officers Tim Plumb, PolyMAT CEO Simon London, Empower Learning Academy Trust CEO David Boyle, The Dunraven Educational Trust CEO Marino Charalambous, North Star Community Trust CEO Jane Flynn, Children First Academy Trust CEO Anthony Wilson, Newham Community Learning CEO Dame Alice Hudson, Twyford CofE Academies Trust CEO Ash Ali, Every Child, Every Day Academy Trust CEO Roger Leighton, Partnership Learning CEO Dr Nicola Crossley, Liberty Academy Trust CEO Executive leaders Frances Lorente, Ivy Learning Trust director of governance Lucy Bruce, The Collegiate Trust director of performance and quality Shareen Wilkinson, LEO Academy Trust executive director of education Ben Levinson, The Tapscott Learning Trust executive headteacher Caroline Doherty, Ark Schools head of public affairs 4. North East Accounting officers Andy Brown, Ad Astra Academy Trust CEO Stuart McGhee, Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust CEO Nichole Munro, Tees Valley Collaborative Trust CEO Nick Blackburn, Lingfield Education Trust CEO Christina Jones, River Tees MAT CEO Mike Butler, The Education Village Academy Trust CEO Zoe Carr, WISE Academies CEO Executive leaders Simon Oxenham, Woodard Academies Trust COO Peter Willey, Ad Astra Academy Trust school improvement lead Helen Durnion, Ad Astra Academy Trust school improvement lead 5. North West Accounting officers Matt Snelson, The Sir John Brunner Foundation CEO Professor Andrew Wren, South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust CEO Pete Taylor, Audenshaw School Academy Trust principal Executive leaders Helen Arya, Oasis Community Learning deputy CEO Kathryn McBurnie, The Sir John Brunner Foundation chief financial and operations officer John Shannon, Frank Field Education Trust director of education Tom Martell, Cumbria Education Trust director of strategic school improvement Sam Gibbs, Greater Manchester Education Trust trust lead for curriculum and development 6. South East Accounting officers Jack Mayhew, Learning Partners Academy Trust CEO Amanda Parry, HISP MAT CEO David Harris, Engage Enrich Excel Academies CEO Garret Fay, Insignis Academy Trust CEO David Meades, Samphire Star Education Trust CEO Sarah Bennett, Inspiring Futures Through Learning CEO Pan Panayiotou, South Downs Education Trust CEO Owen McColgan, The Howard Academy Trust CEO Paul Kennedy, The Good Shepherd Trust CEO Executive leaders Benedicte Yue, River Learning Trust CFO Jonathan Roddick, The Howard Partnership Trust director of education Richard Tyson, Tenax Schools Trust director of workforce development and ethos Melanie Saunders, Inspiring Futures Through Learning head of school improvement 7. South West Accounting officers Dr Jen Blunden, Truro and Penwith Academy Trust CEO Tom Campbell, E-ACT CEO Dan Morrow, Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust CEO Bernie Green, Preston Primary Academy Trust CEO Liz West, Initio Learning Trust CEO Matthew Shanks, Education South West CEO Dave Baker, The Olympus Academy Trust CEO Adam Matthews, Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) CEO James Passmore, Pickwick Academy Trust CEO Executive leaders Cliona Brown, E-ACT director of early years and early reading Siobhan Meredith, The Ted Wragg MAT executive director of education Peter Knight, Oasis Community Learning regional director south west secondary academies 8. West Midlands Accounting officers Rebecca Cox, Hales Valley Trust CEO Jo Morgan, Shaw Education Trust CEO Mark Unwin, Create Partnership Trust CEO Peter Cooper, Heart of Mercia CEO Carla Whelan, Empower Trust CEO Edward Vitalis, Invictus Education Trust CEO Dawn Haywood, Windsor Academy Trust CEO Emily Verow, Three Spires Trust CEO Matthew Meckin, The Rivers C of E Multi Academy Trust CEO Tom Rees, Ormiston Academies Trust CEO Cathie Paine, REAch2 Academy Trust CEO Executive leaders Paul Drew, The Lighthouse Federation COO Tracy Goodyear, The Mercian Trust director of teacher development Katy Khandeparker, SHINE Academies governance and compliance manager Dr Herminder Channa, Oasis Community Learning regional director 9. Yorkshire and the Humber Accounting officers Rowena Hackwood, Astrea Academy Trust CEO Shirley Watson, Beckfoot Trust CEO John McNally, SHARE Multi Academy Trust CEO Warren Carratt, Nexus MAT CEO Richard Sheriff, Red Kite Learning Trust CEO Executive leaders Marie-Claire Bretherton, Waterton Academy Trust deputy CEO Dave Barber, Ebor Academy Trust director of education Jenny Thompson, Dixons Academies Trust school trust leader 10. National SEND/AP representatives Rob Gasson, Wave Multi Academy Trust CEO Ann-Marie Oliver, Ethos Academy Trust director of rducation/central DSL Sue Prickett, Eastern Education Group Trust group director of finance and operations Claire Thomson Deputy, Tarka Learning Partnership CEO Nicole Dempsey, Dixons Academies Trust director of SEND and safeguarding Sarah Johnson, The Skylark Partnership Trust trustee David Walker, Horizons Specialist Academy Trust interim director of governance Lisa Henshall, St Barts Multi Academy Trust SEND strategic lead Angela Holdsworth, The Sea View Trust CEO Laura Howieson School, Initio Learning Trust improvement lead 鈥� inclusion Kelly Dryden, Open Thinking Partnership executive headteacher Sarah Martin, Greenwood Academies Trust education director – special academies Rebecca Rathmell, Ad Astra Academy Trust trust SEND specialist lead Dr Paul Van Walwyk, Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust director of education Polly Matthews, Blackdown Education Trust headteacher 11. National trustee representative Mary Curnock Cook, River Learning Trust trustee Fiona McSorley, The Collegiate Trust trustee Keith Bardsley, The Collective Community Trust senior school quality assurance officer Rama Venchard MBE, London South East Academies Trust chair of trustees Stephen Hopkins, Community Inclusive Trust chair Richard Sloan, Venturers Trust chair of trustees Dr James Rogers, Durrington MAT trustee Chris Jones, South Essex Academy Trust vice chair and committee chair of trust