Welcome to
Compton Bassett Parish Council Website

Roles & Responsibilities
Chair, Calne Area Parish Forum, Hills Liaison Committee, Legal Duties, Cheque Signatory, On Line Banking Authority, Road Safety, Neighbourhood and Farm Watch, Statutory Governance, Statutory Communications, Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG).

Register of interests

I was co-opted onto CBPC in 1991 and have thoroughly enjoyed my time serving the community for the past 26 years as both councillor and in my current role as Chair. I have lived in the village for over 40 years. In my time here I have worked on the village hall committee, flower show, parochial church council and even started a country and western club. I am a founder member of CHADS and helped form a village cricket team. My working life has been varied from manager of a rubber factory, providing parts for the hovercraft industry to manager at the local pub, the White Horse. I am a volunteer lock keeper at Caen locks and a volunteer driver with ‘Link’. My major claim to fame was performing the Dance of the Swans over three nights from the ballet Swan Lake at Westonbirt School as part of CHADS. A standing ovation was achieved each evening and I can safely say it is the only time that Princes Harry, William and the Duke of Kent, who were audience members, ever stood up for a resident of Compton Bassett.
Fact! “The then future King of England gave me a standing ovation for my ballet dancing prowess”.

Roles & Responsibilities
Vice Chair, Heritage, Neighbourhood and Farm Watch, Rights of Way Liaison

Register of interests
I was born at The Manor Farm and lived in the village until I left school. After 12 months travelling, which included employment as diverse as working on a ranch in Chile and a re-treading tyre factory in Sydney, I started work at Coys of Kensington in London who offered me my dream job working for an auction house specialising in vintage and historic cars. Seven years working in the big smoke was enough, and the allure of the countryside grew. I left London in 1995, and after 6 months working on a farm in Zimbabwe, returned to Compton Bassett. After several years gaining experience of Dairy farming, I made the decision to convert the land and cattle to organic status, in order to produce organic milk. In 2004, I set up The Hairpin Company with an ex-colleague from Coys, which specialises in trading classic cars. I married Louisa in 2006 and we have three daughters. I am a director of the White Horse Inn and we bought and renovated The Freeth four years ago, where we now live.
Fact! “I worked as a gaucho on a cattle ranch in Chile”.

Roles & Responsibilities
Hills Liaison Committee, Cheque Signatory, Parish Steward Link, Village Hall Rep

Register of interests
I have lived in the village since I was five years old. I attended the village school before going to boarding school. After graduating to a BSc Agriculture at Wye College, University of London I came home to the family farm. I was elected onto the Parish Council more than 40 years ago, have served as a church warden and have recently re-joined the village hall committee.
Fact!“My claim to fame includes being mistaken for Tommy Steele whilst on honey-moon in Portugal”

Roles & Responsibilities
Cheque Signatory, On Line Banking Authority, Road Safety, Communications, including broadband, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Liaison, Neighbourhood Plan, Web site liaison, Heritage

Register of interests
I worked as a journalist on the Times Newspaper, the New York Times and Daily Mirror before becoming the youngest appointed board director at the Chartered Institute of Building responsible for marketing and commercial affairs for over 15 years. Following a period as communications manager for the UK’s largest food manufacturing business I began my own public relations consultancy and work with clients in many areas from pharmaceuticals to property. I have helped Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave in raising awareness of diabetes and am currently assisting senior members of the House of Lords with social media activity. I am a Freeman of the City of London, Liveryman as well as a member of Media Society of the Reform Club. I have lived in Compton Bassett for 4 years with my wife Angela.
Fact!“I persuaded Margaret Thatcher to do something she was strongly against when she was PM”

Roles & Responsibilities
Heritage, Road Safety, Communications, including broadband, Website liaison, Village Hall Rep, Neighbourhood Plan, On Line Banking Authority.

Register of interests
Born in Bristol, I lived there until escaping to Compton Bassett in 2011. I worked in the building industry for nearly 40 years but studied archaeology at Bristol University and have carried out many excavations; I am still involved with research into the prehistory of Guernsey. I married Emelien in 1980 and we have three daughters and two grandchildren. I love the village and want to play a part in maintaining and enhancing its future.
Fact!"My most recent excavation involved a series of presumed Bronze Age burial mounds in Guernsey; we were quite taken aback to discover they were Napoleonic era British army field kitchens! Our initial surprise turned to excitement when we realised they were very rare archaeological finds and an important discovery"

Roles & Responsibilities
Defibrillator

Register of interests
I first came to the village in 2002 and found the little thatched cottage of my dreams, spending as much time here as my work in London would allow. That work took me away to Japan for a number of years with an American bank where i met my now wife Miho. When I returned to fulfil the dream of living in Compton Bassett permanently it was with the addition of a young family.
Fact!"I was part of the winning team at the 2006 National Carriage driving championships in Windsor because they couldn’t find anyone else to stand on the back step."

Roles & Responsibilities
******

Register of interests
I moved to Compton Basset in September 2020, with my wife, after moving from France where we had lived for over 15 years, enjoying a quiet rural life after more than 30 years teaching in the West Midlands.
I was born and lived in West London, before moving to the West Midlands where I trained as a primary school teacher.
My teaching career covered my early years as a class teacher, specialising in P.E. Maths and the introduction of computers/technology into the classroom in the late 1980s/early 1990s, and latterly as a Headteacher of 3 different primary schools within Walsall Education Authority.
I hope to be able to bring some of my leadership and management skills to support the work of the Parish Council, and to help support and improve village life for all of the residents.
Fact!"I once led an entire school Assembly whilst standing on my head for Red Nose Day!!"