Kathryn Mary Pinnock, Baroness Pinnock (born 25 September 1946) is a British Liberal Democrat politician,

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

, and former

school teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

. Since 1987, she has been a member of

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council Kirklees Council is the local authority providing most local government services for the borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan district council and one of five constituent councils of the West Yorkshire Combine ...

. She was leader of the council's Lib Dem group from 1991 to 2014, and leader of the council from 2000 to 2006. She was created a life peer in 2014 and now sits in the House of Lords.

Early life

Pinnock was born on 25 September 1946. She attended the girls' grammar school, the City of Bath Girls' School (now the Hayesfield Girls' School). She studied history and chemistry at Keele University, graduating with a bachelor's degree. She remained at Keele to complete a teaching diploma.

Early career

Following university, Pinnock became a

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

teacher. She taught history in schools in Birmingham and Special Needs Maths at Rastrick High School in West Yorkshire. She also served as Deputy Chief Examiner for

A-Level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...

History for a number of years.

Political career

Local government

Since 1987, she has been a local councillor, representing Cleckheaton on the Kirklees Council. She was leader of the Lib Dem group on the council between 1991 and 2014. She was leader of the council from 2000 to 2006, and was the first female to hold this post.

House of Lords

In August 2014, it was announced that she was to be made a

. She was created a life peer on 23 September 2014 taking the title Baroness Pinnock, of Cleckheaton in the County of West Yorkshire. Since June 2015, she has been a member of the Home Affairs Sub-Committee of the European Union Committee. In 2015, Pinnock was appointed the Spokesperson for Children for the Lib Dems, and in October 2016 she was appointed their Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Honours

In July 2015, Pinnock was awarded an

honorary An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include: * Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States * Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...

doctorate by the University of Huddersfield.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinnock, Kath Living people Alumni of Keele University Councillors in Kirklees 1946 births Schoolteachers from Yorkshire Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II Leaders of local authorities of England Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors Liberal Democrats (UK) life peers People from Bath, Somerset Place of birth missing (living people) Women councillors in England Schoolteachers from the West Midlands