LGA's David Simmonds receives CBE in Queen's birthday honours

Simmonds, deputy leader of Hillingdon Council and the LGA’s main spokesman on children’s services, was one of a host of leaders and professionals from the children and young people’s sector to be recognised for their work in the birthday honours list, published at the weekend.

Norman Goodwin, chief executive of Adoption Matters, also received a CBE for his work at the charity spanning more than 20 years.

Meanwhile, James Hempsall, who oversaw the delivery of the Department for Education's national support programme for the implementation of 15 hours a week of free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE).

OBEs have also been awarded to Sue Robb, national head of early years at charity 4Children, and the founders of childcare provider Busy Bees, Marg Randles and John Woodward, for their longstanding service to the sector.

In addition, Members of the British Empire (MBE) have been awarded to Henry Dimbleby, co-author of the government’s school food plan, and Michelle Newman, threshold team manager at Plymouth Council’s children’s services department.

Senior DfE official Tom Jeffery has been awarded a knighthood for his work in the civil service over the past 30 years.

Others to be recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours for their work with children and young people include: 

OBE:

• Sue Robb, national head of early years, 4Children
• Edwina Grant, chair, Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, Solihull
• Nicky Campbell, broadcaster and patron at the British Association for Adoption

MBE: 

• Sharon Bell, manager, Broadwater Children’s Centre, Stevenage
• Janet Collins, chair, Millmead Children’s Centre Partnership, Kent
• Joan Jackson-Callen, social worker, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• Emma Cravitz, educational psychologist
• Jenny Deeks, director, Coin Street Family and Children’s Centre, Lambeth and Southwark
• Kenneth Deeks, founder, Byte Night, and fundraiser, Action for Children
• Yasvanti Shah, head of adoption and improvement, Coram/Kent council Adoption Partnership

British Empire Medal (BEM):

• Lynda Myles-Till, ambassador, Action for Children
• Bridget Cluley, trustee, Hope and Homes for Children