Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-18)

Details of Natural England’s governance structures and processes.

Natural England is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) established by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/16/contents).

Natural England developed its framework document (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-framework-document) in partnership with its sponsor department, Defra. The document implements the principles set out in the cross-government code of practice (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/partnerships-with-arms-length-bodies-code-of-good-practice) for partnerships between departments and arm’s length bodies. The document sets out Natural England’s:
- purpose and status
- methods of governance and accountability for its activities
- ways of working with Parliament, stakeholders, customers and Defra group
- main duties as an NDPB – for example, the way that it should use and account for public money
Natural England Board

The main roles of the Board are to:
- provide leadership for the organisation – setting strategy and direction, agreeing objectives and overseeing performance
- ensure that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on risk management, governance, internal control and use of public money
The Board is the decision making body for Natural England. The board retained authority (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b303e8d15c152ea555bdee/board-retained-authority.pdf) (PDF, 187 KB, 5 pages) sets out the matters that need to come before the Board for decision. All other authority is delegated to the Chief Executive.

Board members
- Tony Juniper (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tony-juniper), Chair
- Marian Spain (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/marian-spain), Chief Executive, ex officio board member
- Kim Shillinglaw (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kim-shillinglaw)
- Peter Unwin (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/peter-unwin)
- Professor Clare Fitzsimmons (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/clare-fitzsimmons)
- Dame Caroline Spelman (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/caroline-spelman)
- Professor Lynn Dicks (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/lynn-dix)
- Professor Mel Austen (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mel-austen)
- Mark Tufnell (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/mark-tufnell)
- Cynthia Alers (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/cynthia-alers)
- Alastair Leake (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/alastair-leake)
- James Scott (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/james-scott)
Members act in accordance with the board code of conduct (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ec2b009e90e071e354dfd11/board-code-of-conduct.pdf) (PDF, 374 KB, 5 pages).

See the Natural England register of board members’ interests (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-england-register-of-board-members-interests).

Board committees and groups

The Board delivers its duties through regular formal board meetings (#board-meetings) and through a small number of statutory and time-limited sub-committees.

Committee terms of reference:
- audit and risk committee (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68824b94f47abf78ca1d3652/ne-audit-risk-assurance-committee-tor.pdf) (PDF, 173 KB, 9 pages)
- science advisory committee (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f0fb10e8e4040c38a3cf9d/ne-science-advisory-committee-tor.pdf) (PDF, 161 KB, 6 pages)
- social science expert panel (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/611d0e8be90e0705481fc032/social-science-expert-panel-terms-of-reference.pdf) (PDF, 184 KB, 5 pages)
- people and remuneration committee (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f190f785e3c38d2baf8554/people-and-remuneration-committee-terms-of-reference.pdf) (PDF, 147 KB, 3 pages)
- landscape advisory panel (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/665ef3427b792ffff71a86ac/landscape-advisory-panel-terms-of-reference.pdf) (PDF, 101 KB, 4 pages)
- national nature reserves declarations committee (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b8a535ff9676313f3533f5/nnr-declarations-committee-tor.pdf) (PDF, 95.2 KB, 2 pages)
Board meetings

Board meetings in 2025 will be held on:
- 26 November
Board meetings in 2026 will be held on:
- 28 January
- 4 March
- 20 May
- 15 July
- 23 September
- 18 November
Some board meetings are open to members of the public. To register your attendance email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Minutes of board meetings (published after confirmation at next meeting):
- 30 July 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691f3d08c62d57eb3a71084d/board-meeting-minutes-30-july-2025.pdf) (PDF, 224 KB, 12 pages)
- 28 May 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/689cac9487bf475940723f4b/board-meeting-minutes-28-may-2025.pdf) (PDF, 245 KB, 12 pages)
- 19 February 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6866af12e134dfbc2e9e6d7f/board-meeting-minutes-19-february-2025.pdf) (PDF, 221 KB, 13 pages)
- 6 November 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d954bd69606cdea9e08754/board-meeting-minutes-6-november-2024.pdf) (PDF, 236 KB, 8 pages)
- 25 September 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67503491d12a2dad3bc97a56/board-meeting-minutes-25-september-2024.pdf) (PDF, 191 KB, 7 pages)
- 31 July 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67373f251aac5c1dd8a0f758/board-meeting-minutes-31-july-2024.pdf) (PDF, 231 KB, 8 pages)
- 15 May 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d04efb011f08ebe0502c5c/board-meeting-minutes-15-may-2024.pdf) (PDF, 168 KB, 9 pages)
- 17 April 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/665082c4c86b0c383ef64fab/board_meeting_minutes_17_April_2024.pdf) (PDF, 110 KB, 3 pages)
- 21 February 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6650829d05e5fe28788fc4b2/board_meeting_minutes_21_February_2024.pdf) (PDF, 190 KB, 13 pages)
- 8 November 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6650825d8f4cb8fef9f64fbe/board_meeting_minutes_8_November_2023.pdf) (PDF, 201 KB, 9 pages)
- 20 September 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a6aa7664060200143cb799/board-meeting-minutes-20-september-2023.pdf) (PDF, 164 KB, 6 pages)
- 26 July 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a6aa5f640602000d3cb79d/board-meeting-minutes-26-july-2023.pdf) (PDF, 217 KB, 7 pages)
- 28 June 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a6aa3f96a5ec000d731a95/board-meeting-minutes-28-june-2023.pdf) (PDF, 144 KB, 3 pages)
- 10 May 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64de018660d123000d32c6d0/board-meeting-minutes-10-may-2023.pdf) (PDF, 183 KB, 5 pages)
- 22 February 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/646653bbb910e3000c456ef8/board-meeting-minutes-22-february-2023.pdf) (PDF, 209 KB, 5 pages)
- 18 January 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/648b317b103ca6000c039f9f/board-meeting-minutes-18-january-2023.pdf) (PDF, 178 KB, 9 pages)
- 9 November 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63ff6f268fa8f527ff6b42be/board-meeting-minutes-9-november-2022.pdf) (PDF, 591 KB, 6 pages)
- 27 July 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/637e13d6e90e0723443452a5/board-meeting-minutes-27-july-2022.pdf) (PDF, 197 KB, 7 pages)
- 29 June 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/636a817ce90e0761940ecdae/board-meeting-minutes-29-june-2022.pdf) (PDF, 172 KB, 8 pages)
- 4 May 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63346154d3bf7f34f0bfd2ba/board-meeting-minutes-4-may-2022.pdf) (PDF, 166 KB, 8 pages)
- 23 February 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62a8a204d3bf7f037273481c/board-meeting-minutes-23-february-2022.pdf) (PDF, 155 KB, 8 pages)
- 19 January 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62792e708fa8f560b660a56e/board-meeting-minutes-19-january-2022.pdf) (PDF, 85.9 KB, 7 pages)
- 9 to 10 November 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6228cd7fe90e0747a30ca98e/board-meeting-minutes-9-10-november-2021.pdf) (PDF, 156 KB, 10 pages)
- 15 September 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6228db46d3bf7f158322184e/board-meeting-minutes-15-september-2021.pdf) (PDF, 62.7 KB, 3 pages)
- 28 July 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f02e5ce90e070375c230b5/board-meeting-minutes-28-july-2021.pdf) (PDF, 218 KB, 9 pages)
- 30 June 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/613a31fbe90e07043d565cde/board-meeting-minutes-30-june-2021.pdf) (PDF, 59.1 KB, 7 pages)
- 5 May 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60ffda98d3bf7f044b9a593d/board-meeting-minutes-05-may-2021.pdf) (PDF, 82.6 KB, 11 pages)
- 24 March 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60e81fea8fa8f50c7ca55a5a/board-meeting-minutes-24-march-2021.pdf) (PDF, 103 KB, 10 pages)
- 24 February 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60c2320ed3bf7f4bcd473b67/board-meeting-minutes-24-february-2021.pdf) (PDF, 82.1 KB, 10 pages)
For details of previous board minutes visit the National Archives (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210401010614/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england/about/our-governance).

The board standing orders (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e554c7086650c10ef4d3ce4/board-standing-orders.pdf) (PDF, 45.6 KB, 6 pages) and associated Annex A (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6128aa7fd3bf7f63b22690e8/board-standing-orders-annex-a.pdf) (PDF, 13 KB, 1 page) detail the procedures which govern the conduct of board meetings.

NE Executive Committee
- Marian Spain (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/marian-spain), Chief Executive
- Alan Law (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/alan-law), Chief Officer, Operations
- Professor Sallie Bailey (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/sallie-bailey), Chief Scientist
- Navroza Ladha (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/navroza-ladha), Chief Officer, Legal, Governance and External Affairs
- Kirsty Carter-Brown (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/kirsty-carter-brown), Chief Officer, Business Management
- Oliver Harmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/oliver-harmar), Chief Officer, Strategy