Tag: Parish Councillors

Cllr Neil Reeve

Neil Reeve is an experienced Chartered Engineer with 40+ years’ experience. He was previously the chair of an energy industry division of ISO, the international standard-setting organisation. He is a councillor at High Easter Parish Council. At Uttlesford District Council he is currently Portfolio Holder for the Economy, Investment and Corporate Plan. In his spare time he volunteers for nature conservancy causes.

“It’s very straightforward. We need a second term to finish the job at UDC. As a Ward Member for Broad Oak and the Hallingburys, I’ve really valued working with the four parish councils, and my colleague Geof Driscoll. I feel that we are helping the community and making a difference. I remain frustrated by the Westminster driven parties. We have found a lot wrong with what we inherited at UDC. We are putting a lot right, but there is still much to do. It’s very important that residents are listened to. We do that. We need local residents’ views, local decisions, and more local infrastructure” Neil Reeve

WardAbout/BioContact

Where you live and how long you’ve lived in the area?

My wife and I have had a home in Uttlesford for more than 20 years. After my retirement in 2012 I became increasingly involved in village, parish and local issues. Prior to this we lived and worked all over the world, including Malaysia, South Korea, Denmark, New Zealand and The Netherlands.

Our three children each have their own families (giving us 5 grandchildren in total) and lead diverse lives. One lives in Kent and works for Kent County Council. One lives in Holland and works in the University of Utrecht Library. One is currently working for Oxfam in Myanmar.

Any councillor or political experience you may have?

I’ve been a UDC councillor for the Broad Oak and the Hallingburys ward since 2019 and at UDC I lead the Economy, Business, Council Strategy and Investments portfolios. I am also a member of the High Easter Parish Council.

Any work details that you may want to highlight that add to your experience?

I am a Chartered Engineer with approximately 40 years of international experience. I worked with Royal Dutch Shell until I retired from them in 2012. For the first third of my career I worked as a Structural Engineer designing, building and maintaining offshore platforms. Thereafter I developed Shell’s system of specifications and standards for all their operations worldwide. In this capacity, I became chair of the committee in an International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) responsible for international standards the oil and gas industry. I maintained this role till mid-2019. I have learned how to listen to very diverse groups and lead the parties to an agreement (a consensus standard).

Are you involved in any community or residents’ groups, boards, charities, or volunteering?

I’m a director, trustee and treasurer of the East of England Apples and Orchards Project (EEAOP). This is a charity, with a trading arm (i.e. under Charities Commission and Companies House), whose aim is the collect and conserve the region’s heritage fruit trees; and get these (re-)planted throughout the region.

I am also a treasurer, and committee member of the Essex Beekeepers Association (EBKA) (Braintree Division).

Why did you stand for Residents for Uttlesford?

I was impressed that in a short time Residents for Uttlesford had already made an impact for our district. In 4 years of leading UDC, we’ve made significant improvements for residents. We need 4 more years to finish the job.

The key point is that R4U is a party for local issues, not national ones. It can therefore be more agile to steer the district council in a direction that residents in the Uttlesford want, rather than as directed by a Westminster-based party.

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    Cllr Sandi Merifield

    Sandi Merifield is very active in Stebbing, has served on Stebbing Parish Council for over 15 years, and is an experienced former district councillor. She has helped organise Stebbing Fete for many years and is the local coordinator of the Poppy Appeal Collection.

    “I believe in listening to and working with the community, fighting for the rights of residents and aiming to find the balance between protecting our communities and enhancing our children’s future.” Sandi Merifield

    WardAbout/BioContact

    Sandi says:

    I live in Stebbing with my husband, our two dogs and cat. We moved here nearly 29 years ago with our three children and have counted ourselves very lucky ever since to live in this Ward in Uttlesford and be part of this community.

    I have served on Stebbing Parish Council for over 15 years including on most of its committees, chairing and member, the most recent Greener Stebbing which is a new committee. This has and continues to be a most rewarding and enlightening experience. Helping greatly with my understanding of the needs of residents. I was an Uttlesford District Councillor for 4 years, where I chaired the Planning Committee.

    I coordinate the Poppy Appeal Collection annually in Stebbing and have been a member of the Stebbing Fete organising committee for many years Having had a career in Education in both secondary schools and colleges I became a governor at a local Nursery & Primary school.

    I believe in listening and working with the community, fighting for the rights of residents, and aiming to find the balance between protecting our communities and enhancing our children’s future.

    I have long believed that National party politics should not play a part in local democracy. Local issues need to be addressed by a locally focussed party that understands and supports local interests. I believe that R4U is, by reorganising how UDC is structured and using the best skills available. By working together with our communities, we will achieve this.

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      Cllr Geoff Bagnall

      Geoff Bagnall is an Uttlesford District and former Takeley Parish councillor. Geoff is committed to creating greater local community involvement in shaping the future of Uttlesford. At UDC he chairs the strategic Local Plan working group. He lives in Takeley.

      “I believe we need local representation at Uttlesford rather than the mainstream political parties if we are to secure the proper future for our communities. There is great support for local decisions on the doorstep.” Geoff Bagnall

      WardAbout/BioContact

      Geoff Bagnall moved to Takeley in 2009 and was been a long-serving parish councillor and now an Uttlesford District councillor.

      He says “I am absolutely convinced that we need strong representation at a local level to ensure we are able to build the community in the right way. I believe we need it to be LOCAL representation at Uttlesford District Council rather than the mainstream political parties if we are to secure the proper future for our communities.”

      Geoff has spent his career in the banking and finance sector. During that time he has held various roles, most of which have required him to look at making improvements to processes and implement organisational change.  He says “To help me achieve success in these roles, one of the key capabilities has been the ability to communicate and drive consensus across teams, as that’s the way you get things done.  To do that I have built up a large network of relationships, which you need to work through complex problems with a number of stakeholders.”

      These core skills of communication and network building will stand Geoff in good stead to help resolve the many issues at Uttlesford District Council and Essex County Council.

      Locally he is particularly keen to ensure that planning decisions are taken for the benefit of the district as a whole, and that they include all infrastructure provisioning at the same time, for example, schools, medical centres, roads and utilities. He said he remembers once asking a now former Conservative District Councillor about the lack of school places when planning decisions were made at Uttlesford District Council. Geoff said “The Councillor replied that schools are the responsibility of Essex not Uttlesford District Council”. Geoff says he disagrees and believes that responsibly cannot be shirked. He believes that things like school places should be “very much part of planning decision making and that deciding in isolation is to the detriment of existing communities.”

       

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