Birmingham-born architect Les Sparks has been named chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund's (HLF) West Midlands committee.

In 1999, Sparks was one of the founding commissioners at the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and was appointed English Heritage commissioner in 2001. Dr Clive Harris - lecturer at a range of Midlands' universities - and Professor Ian Grosvenor of the University of Birmingham have also been named as committee members.

Anne Jenkins, head of the HLF for the West Midlands, said: "We are extremely pleased to be welcoming these three new members to the committee. They bring a wealth of experience to what is already a very strong team of decision makers. "Their wide ranging expertise and strong regional awareness will be of great benefit to both HLF and the heritage of the West Midlands."