John Gilbert, head of leisure, culture and community learning with the Borough of Telford and Wrekin, has been elected to the National Executive of the Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association (CLOA).

Representing local authority leisure and cultural services at the highest levels, Gilbert'swork will include the development of the new government initiative, the Corporate Performance Assessment, the re-organisation of Sport England, and promoting the benefits of leisure and culture to such issues such as vandalism, health, crime and educational attainment.

' I will be working hard to ensure that the view of professional colleagues is lobbied at the highest level in government,' says Gilbert. Details: www.cloa.org.uk