Having served as a Parish Councillor for over 25 years and a District Councillor for 10 years, I felt I had some experience to bring to Lancashire County Council, when first elected in 2005. Having said that of course there was much to learn from a much larger organisation covering areas of work not covered by District Councils. It was quite a challenge!
I have lived most of my life in my division . My family farmed in Scarisbrick and I studied Agriculture at London University, subsequently gaining a Master's Degree at Cornell University ,one of the "Ivy League" universities in the USA. I became a Research Manager for the pet food division of Spillers back in the UK at Cambridge.
I returned to the family farm on my father's retirement and soon began my interest in local affairs by joining Scarisbrick Parish Council. My interest in community affairs has grown since then , particularly after my retirement from farming in 1997.
A Councillor's job is to listen to individuals and local organisations and voice any concerns in the right quarters. Equally important is to look to the future, and paying due regard to village plans and any proposed projects contained therein will receive my proper consideration and support, as well as helping shape West Lancs Borough Council's Local Development Plans to make sure they meet the needs of local communities.
Local Village schools are of paramount importance in our village communities as are the larger schools in Burscough. I want to encourage every school in my division to support the "School Travel Plan" initiative to help relieve school traffic congestion. I am a governor of Pinfold Primary in Scarisbrick and Burscough Priory Science College, while my wife is a governor of St. Mark's Primary and Burscough Village Primary. So we do our bit!! Youth provision is vitally important and I believe in supporting worthwhile initiatives to add to our facilities. The Grove Youth and Community Centre in Burscough does sterling work, and I am pleased to have joined the Management Committee there.
I will strive to improve public transport services and infrastructure by supporting the re-instatement of the Burscough curves and further improvements to local railway stations to encourage railway use, and protect and develop local bus services.
I will stand up for our rightful share of road maintenance and improvements, including traffic calming measures.
People ask me if there is a conflict being a parish, district and county councillor. I can honestly say I am finding that the different roles complement each other. An issue thrown up in a parish or borough council meeting for example that is a county council responsibility can be dealt with efficiently.Assuming of course it is within normal budget constraints!.A county councillor soon finds way around and has immediate access to the county officers.Similarly taking parish council views into account in the planning process at the district council is vitally important.
Susan and I manage to somehow to fit in our family responsibilities. We have a married son in Edinburgh, and two small grandsons. Fortunately the other grandparents live locally to them, and are happy to take the lion's share of babysitting!