I am a local man - born in London, my parents moved to Banstead when I was two.

Full statement

I attended the local Primary School and I still live within a short distance of the ward.

I joined the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at grammar school, which gave me a taste for the outdoor life. Later, I joined the Army (T.A.) where my training included parachuting, advanced medical courses (including Advanced Trauma Life Support), Mountain Leader and survival courses among others, and I was actually in Berlin when the wall (the Iron Curtain) came down! That was an incredible and memorable event.

At the end of my forces career I served as an unpaid Army Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, imparting my knowledge, experience and motivation to the youngsters, although it was mostly about safeguarding and stopping them from doing daft things – the 14 and 15 year old boys all thought they were in the SAS once they put on a uniform!

During my civilian career I worked in several fields including oilfield engineering (I retain a keen interest in the oil industry), sales, travel and tourism, training, risk management and hospitality.

I am a member of the local rugby club and Residents Association and also the Campaign for Real Ale which supports pubs in the community. My hobbies include horse racing (I have a tiny share in part of a racing syndicate) and I’m also very keen on old steam engines - I help to support the restoration and maintenance of several heritage steam locomotives. It’s an expensive undertaking but great fun to see them in action.

Now fully retired, I feel that I have a lot of energy, experience and time to contribute to the area that I grew up in and love. I take local issues very seriously and as your local councillor I will listen to your comments about road surfaces, speed safety, council tax charges and other concerns as an advocate for the residents of Meadvale and St John’s ward on Reigate and Banstead Borough Council.

People have already expressed their concerns to me about local issues, in particular road surface maintenance (potholes) & road & speed safety (referring to narrow pavements especially near St. John’s Primary School, nursery & Church and local demand for a possible 20 mph limit in those areas). I intend to lobby the Highways Authority at Surrey County Council on their behalf. There is also the challenge of retaining useful community buildings for public use – for example, Meadvale Village Hall is now at risk of sale by St. Johns Church council.

Other residents have mentioned wider local issues such as increased traffic congestion in recent years, high parking charges in the town centres of Reigate & Redhill, & the decline of local shopping centre High Streets with too many flea markets & charity shops. I also intend to champion the rights of local residents where they are impinged by policies imposed at national & county level.

For more information or to get involved in my campaign, please contact me via the Reigate branch of Reform UK at chair.reigate@reformuk.com, you can also find out more about the branch at https://www.reformukreigate.co.uk/.