Chairs appointed to Poverty and Equality Commission for Highland

10th May 2025

Maggie Cunningham and Dr. Jim McCormick have been appointed as co-chairs of a new multi-partnership Poverty and Equality Commission Board.

These two key appointments will be instrumental in supporting The Highland Council and Community Planning Partners in gaining a better understanding of how poverty affects families in the Highlands and how service delivery needs to change to better address poverty-related issues.

Maggie Cunningham worked at a senior level in the BBC for over twenty years including roles of Head of Radio, Scotland and Joint Head of Programmes and Services, Scotland. She is currently Chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach, which runs the Royal National Mòd and supports 20 local Mòds.

Since 2009, she has worked as a leadership and executive coach. She served six years as a Content Board member of Ofcom until October 2024 and chaired the Board of MG Alba for six years from 2012. She chairs Kyle and Lochalsh Community Development Trust and was an independent member of the Edinburgh Festivals Forum for eight years. She was a founding Board member of Sistema Scotland until 2019 and is a Director of Highland Tourism Community Interest Company (CIC).

Jim McCormick is Chief Executive of The Robertson Trust, an independent grant-making charity which funds, supports and influences solutions to poverty and trauma across Scotland. He joined the Trust in 2020.

Previously he was Associate Director Scotland with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2017-20), ran an independent research consultancy and was Director of the Scottish Council Foundation think-tank.

He is a member of the Living Wage Commission. He was previously Chair of the independent Disability and Carers Benefits Advisory Group reporting to the Scottish Social Security Minister (until 2023), Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission (2018-20) and a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) until 2020, which scrutinises the Department for Work and Pensions' GB regulations.

In 2018 he was a travelling Churchill Fellow looking at the impact of mentoring programmes for children and young people facing disadvantage in the USA, Canada and New Zealand.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: "I congratulate Maggie Cunningham and Jim McCormick on their appointments as Chairs of the Poverty and Equality Commission. Highland Councillors have given cross-party support to the creation of the Commission, and I look forward to the progressive and positive work of the Commission that will make a difference to people's lives."

Convener of the Councillor, Cllr Bill Lobban added: "As non-elected independent experts the co-chair appointments will ensure that there is impartial expertise at the centre of the Commission's Board and its activities. I welcome the Chairs’ appointments who, along with Members of the Commission Board will work to identify strategies, actions and approaches to ease and prevent poverty in Highland."

Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Alasdair Christie said: "I am fully supportive of the appointment of the two new chairs who will bring a breadth of knowledge and understanding to the work of the Poverty and Equality Commission. Their specialist awareness will help to support the Commission’s work which will seek to improve the lives of many individuals and children and their families across Highland communities."

The Poverty and Equality Commission will report directly to The Highland Council, providing recommendations for action, change and transformation. Updates from the Commission will

In addition to the two co-chairs appointed the Commission Board will be made up of elected Highland councillors and members from public sector partner organisations, third sector or community representatives.

The first meeting of the Poverty and Equality Commission was held on 1 May 2025 following which an update on progress to establish the Poverty and Equality Commission will be presented to The Highland Council meeting in June.

Photo: (front) Poverty and Equality Commission Chairs, Maggie Cunningham and Jim McCormick (back row l to r) Cllrs Bill Lobban, Raymond Bremner and Alasdair Christie