As well as an Independent County Councillor for Alnwick, I am Leader of the Conservative and Independent Group on Alnwick District Council and I am also an Alnwick Town Councillor. I have been a District Councillor for 8 years and a Town Councillor for 10 years. I was elected to the County Council for the first time in May 2005. I have served for several years as Deputy Leader of Alnwick District Council and I have also served Alnwick as Mayor. I have never belonged to any political party and always stand as an Independent because I believe that local politics should be free of party political control. My membership of the County Council Conservative and Independent Group mirrors that on the Conservative and Independent Group of Alnwick District Council - both are necessary to obtain influential committee places under the proportionality rules. Belonging to a political grouping does not mean ties to any political party. I speak and vote as I see fit.
I am manager at Barter Books in Alnwick where I have worked since 1995. Prior to this I served in the RAF for 25 years, taking early retirement in 1995 with the rank of Group Captain. I was educated at the Duke’s Grammar School Alnwick and graduated in Philosophy from Newcastle University in 1973. I am married with 2 grown up children. In my remaining spare time I run and keep fit and ride what is now my 53rd motorcycle, a lifelong hobby.
Though always interested in politics I was never active until I left the RAF and came back to live in Alnwick, where I was born and grew up. I got involved following an infamous debacle at Alnwick over a supermarket planning application. I felt that if you are publicly critical of those who are in office on your behalf, you should be prepared to try and do better. Once in, I was quickly sucked in further till local politics started to take over my life. I have never regretted it. I regard it as a great honour and privilege for an Alnwick lad to represent his town, which I have always thought the best place to live in the UK, long before this was officially recognised!
My first duty is to represent the interests of my constituents to the best of my ability. This means exercising my judgement on their behalf, and making sure I am as well informed as possible. Obviously, it is not possible to agree with or satisfy everyone. However, it is the duty of all councillors both to listen to those who wish to register their views and, after due consideration, to explain their own.
My military background has taught me to value clear thinking and good communications. This is much less evident in local government than it should be, and I frequently despair at the unwieldiness and bureaucracy of it all. There are far too many top down government wheezes constantly being imposed upon us and local government is plagued with a fondness for meaningless verbiage and feel-good phrases. However, I am a cheerful and optimistic person who believes in the power of persistence. I am readily available and I do like to be asked to help!
