Who we are at Nuleaf

Joseph was born and raised in West Cumbria and holds a degree in International Relations and Politics. After graduating from university, he returned to the area and began his career with United Utilities as a customer service advisor. He later joined the nuclear industry, initially working as an operator in spent fuel and reprocessing, before moving into waste and decommissioning. He now provides technical advice to demolition and decommissioning projects, with a particular focus on high hazard reduction and safe legacy management.

Joseph was elected to Copeland Borough Council in 2021, representing Whitehaven Central, and in 2022 was elected to Cumberland Council for Bransty Ward. He currently serves as Chair of the Business and Resources Scrutiny Committee and sits on both the Audit and Place Scrutiny Committees.

Joseph is committed to strengthening the voice of nuclear communities across the UK. He attends the Nuclear Issues Board, a Cumberland Council-led forum, and brings practical industry experience and a strong community focus to his role as Chair of Nuleaf. He advocates for transparency, collaboration, and long-term solutions in nuclear legacy management.

Paul is very proud of his Welsh heritage, having been born and raised in Cardiff.  Following in his Father’s footsteps, he completed a four-year apprenticeship with British Railways before moving into the nuclear industry in 1979 at Dungeness B Power Station in Kent.  He completed an Engineering Degree with the Open University, followed by an MBA in Technology Management, also with the Open University.  He worked in the Maintenance and Engineering Departments, before moving onto a number of Companywide projects.  He worked as the Outage Manager followed by Projects Portfolio Manager at Dungeness , before moving to the United States on a two-year secondment with the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), carrying out Safety and Performance reviews at Nuclear Plants in the US and Canada.

On his return to the UK, Paul continued his career at Dungeness as Strategic Outage Manager and then Engineering Manager, before retiring in 2016.  He has worked on International Nuclear Plant reviews with both the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Paul was elected to New Romney Town Council in 2017 and was elected Chairman and Mayor in 2019, a post that he held for four years until 2023.  He is still a member of New Romney Town Council and is Chair of the Finance & General Purposes Committee, the Personnel Committee and is Chair of the Project Steering Group, that recently delivered a new £3.4 million pound Community Hall, Sports Pavilion and Annex for the Town.

Paul was elected as an independent member of Folkestone and Hythe District Council in May 2023, representing the New Romney Ward.  He is Chair of the Romney Marsh Partnership, a Director of Oportunitas  and sits on the Planning and Licensing Committee (including Licensing Act Sub-Committee), the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Finance & Performance Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

Paul is a Nuclear Professional and brings a wealth on nuclear experience to ensure nuclear communities are heard at all levels in the UK and Internationally.  In the last 12 months, Paul has represented the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum at two “Stakeholder” focused events at the United Nations in Vienna, advocating for nuclear communities at both events.  As Vice-Chair, Paul wants to continue the excellent work of his predecessors, in developing strong relationships with key stakeholders, to deliver the best solutions for nuclear communities, in the ever-changing world of nuclear power.

Phil Matthews was appointed Executive Director in 2014.  He previously served as the Sustainable Development Commission’s (SDC) Senior Policy Advisor and Acting Director in Scotland, auditing the Scottish Government’s performance and reporting to the First Minister. He also worked for nine years as a Partner/Director of CAG Consultants, delivering a range of strategic work on climate change and energy for clients including the UK and Scottish Government.

In addition to his work with Nuleaf, Phil is a Vice-President of GMF Europe. He has previously held a number of other non-executive roles including Chair of Transform Scotland and Non-Executive Director of both the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Zero Waste Scotland.

Phil holds an Honours Degree in Geography from Edinburgh University and a Masters (with Distinction) in Environmental Change and Management from Oxford University.