Archive for: Councillor

I am a new Parish Councillor having been elected in July 2022. I moved to Bearsted in 1990 with my wife Irene. We have one daughter who attended Thurham and Roseacre schools.

My career has involved transport and highway management based in the public and private sectors. I have extensive experience of project management and contract management at senior level with Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council. I also have extensive Road Safety experience which was part of my portfolio with the County Council.

I am a keen walker and as a family, we support the Kent Air Ambulance whenever we can. I am an active member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as well as the National Trust and English Heritage. I care deeply about our environment and looking after it for future generations to enjoy.

I am very much looking forward to supporting our beautiful village through my work on the Parish Council using the experience from my career.

I have lived in Bearsted for 40 years. My three children all went to Thurnham Infants and Roseacre Junior schools.

I am a retired Chartered Town Planner and have worked in both local and central government and in private practice. I have a particular interest in planning, development and property matters which frequently raise serious issues with Bearsted residents.

I have served as a Parish Councillor from 2011 until 2015 and again from 2019 to the present. I was Chairman of the Parish Council’s Planning Committee and Vice Chairman of the full Council from 2012 until 2015.

I have been a Maidstone Borough Councillor for Bearsted Ward since 2017; was Vice Chairman of the Borough Council Planning Committee from 2019 until 2021 and Chairman from 2021 to the present.

I have been a member of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society, the Bearsted and District Local History Society and the Bearsted Woodland Trust for many years. I am also a former governor and former Chairman of Governors of Roseacre School.

I am a former employee of Royal Mail and a Member of Maidstone Borough Council having served as Mayor from 201 to 2014. I am currently the Deputy Leader of Maidstone Borough Council and a Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Enforcement. I am also a member of Detling and Boxley Parish Councils. More widely I have been involved in founding and running a number of nature reserves and public open spaces and am an active campaigner on conservation issues. I am a trustee of a number of local Charities and Organisations including the Community Rail Partnership that includes Bearsted Station and the Kent Downs line and I am Chairman of the Madginford Hall Committee.

I have lived in Bearsted, with my Dutch wife, for 25 years, mainly because we enjoy the ‘atmosphere’ and quality of life here.

In my working career I was involved in two company turnarounds, with responsibility for General Management, Sales & Marketing. Following early retirement, I spent several years working for Business Link assisting ailing businesses to identify and rectify the issues that were affecting their viability. I also worked for over 10 years as a volunteer with The Princes Trust mentoring young people (18-30 year olds) on starting/running their own business.

I believe that the Parish Councils primary role is to listen to residents needs and concerns and do whatever it can to deal with these in a positive manner. I am passionate about focussing on those issues, many of which are day to day matters, where the Council can make worthwhile differences/improvements to the community.

I moved to Thurnham in the autumn of 2019 having lived in Charing, near Ashford for 15 years. I am married to Grace who is a Midwifery Manager at the Royal London NHS Hospital Trust.

I am a semi-retired businessman having worked and been CEO of a London based Food Group for the past 33 years.

I have been an Ashford Borough Councillor for the four years prior to my moving to Thurnham. During my time at Ashford Borough Council, I sat on the following committees for the full four year term: Planning, Standards, Licencing & Audit (Chairman).

I am a member of the Bearsted & Thurnham Society and the Bearsted & Thurnham tennis club.

In my spare time, I love walking our two dogs and being out in my garden as well as enjoying the occasional pint of Kentish real ale.