About Chris
Chris has been a resident of Ravenshead in Nottinghamshire for 25 years where he lives with his wife Tracey and two teenage daughters, Lucie & Emily.
He retired from the Nottinghamshire Police in 2004, whilst holding the rank of Detective Superintendent, after more than 34 years with the Force and where he served all over the County. He is currently the Chairman of Governors at the Joseph Whitaker Foundation School & Specialist Sports College, Rainworth where he is in his second 4-year term as a governor. Chris has also been a governor for 12 years at Abbey Gates Primary School in Ravenshead where he was the Chair for 7 years, stepping down in 2008.
Chris has a long track record of public service in his role as a Police Officer and School Governor and since his retirement has sought to extend this through his interest in national politics and involvement in local government. He was elected to Ravenshead Parish Council in May 2007 where he is currently the Vice Chair and was simultaneously elected as a district councillor representing Ravenshead Ward at Gedling Borough Council, where he is the Party Business Manager for the majority Conservative Group. He sits on the Planning, Environment & Licensing and Performance Management Scrutiny committees.
Having been elected to the Nottinghamshire County Council in June 2009 Chris was appointed as the Conservative Group's Deputy Business Manager and is now Chairman of the Planning & Licensing Committee. Chris has a strong belief in the role and value of local government and the need for greater effectiveness and efficiency in local service delivery. He believes that ‘local decisions should be made by local people’ and that those decisions should be locally accountable. He believes that with his election to Nottinghamshire County Council he is able to provide a ‘One Stop Shop’ for residents to be able to access advice and assistance with local services and to give them continuity and consistency in the communication of their opinions and influence across all the local authorities.
Chris' latest news...
Chairman of the Planning & Licensing Committee
At the Full Council meeting on 25th May I was formally confirmed as the new Chairman of the Nottinghamshire County Council Planning & Licensing Committee. I sit on the Planning Committee and the Environment & Licensing Committee at Gedling Borough Council, and while there are different areas of planning and licensing responsibility at a county level, I believe that my experience so far can only be of benefit to my new role.
(Posted 4/6/2010)
Citizenship Ceremony
On Wednesday 2nd June I was pleased to attend a Citizenship Ceremony at Mansfield Register Office, where I witnessed a number of individuals from different national backgrounds taking the Oath of Allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as they were formally granted British nationality. I found this to be a very humbling and heart-warming experience, to share the enormous sense of pride and excitement of these new citizens in being awarded something which many of us take so much for granted. It was a reminder of the pride that we should all take in our birthright of being British citizens.
(Posted 4/6/2010)
Regional Spatial Strategy
I am pleased to note that the new Conservative Government has taken immediate steps to address the issue of the Regional Spatial Strategy and the micromanagement of housing targets and new-build locations imposed upon us by the previous Labour administration. As a vocal supporter of localism, within a broad strategic overview, I am delighted that decisions surrounding housing development will once again be returned to locally elected and locally accountable politicians.
(Posted 4/6/2010)
County Council Budget 2010/11
At the Nottinghamshire County Council Annual Budget meeting on Thursday 25th February 2010 I joined my Conservative colleagues in voting for a freeze in council tax for the forthcoming financial year 2010/11.
My colleague Councillor Reg Adair, Cabinet Member for Finance & Property, presented the first budget of the new Conservative administration which included a range of management and efficiency measures to save £30 million. This money will be re-directed into front line services including key priority care services: -
In Councillor Adair's speech introducing the budget proposals he pointed out that even with a council tax freeze, Nottinghamshire County Council will still be spending £11 million more in 2010/11 than in the previous year.
(Posted 8/3/10)
Improvement Programme
Like every council in the country, Nottinghamshire County Council faces ongoing, significant and unavoidable increases in demand for key services. At the same time, it faces an unprecedented and long-term reduction in the resources available to it. Present forecasts are that the Council must reduce its current expenditure by at least £88m, or 18% of its revenue budget, over the next three financial years. Most of this reduction will be used to fund increased demand in other service areas. £30m of reductions have already been identified for 2010/11, leaving a further £58m to be found in 2011/12 and 2012/13.
In the past, reductions have been achieved through a process of allocating savings targets across departments. However, the scale of the financial challenge is now such that a more strategic approach is needed to achieve reductions in a structured and consistent way.
At the County Council meeting on 25th February 2010 the Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Martin Suthers gained approval for a new Improvement Programme to deliver these aims, called ‘One Council - One Business - One Plan’. This will involve an estimated investment of £21 million over five years to deliver total aggregated savings of over £200m over a five year period.
The Improvement Programme will include: -
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a complete overhaul of the Council’s approach to procurement
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implementation of an integrated Business Management System and changes in processes
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rationalisation of the Council’s property portfolio and improvement in flexible ways of working
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a fundamental review of all services followed by a comprehensive programme of organisational redesign
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departmental improvement programmes that deliver service-specific developments and
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the Chief Executive’s own programme to deliver improvements in partnership working, communications and organisational development.
The aim of ‘One Council-One Business-One Plan’ is to drive out inefficiency, target resources, minimise the impact on service delivery and create an organisation that is fit for purpose and financially sustainable in the long term.
(Posted 8/3/10)
New Strategic Plan
Nottinghamshire County Council's new Strategic Plan 2010-2014 sets out our promise to the people of Nottinghamshire; our priorities for the next four years; and how we aim to support the people of our county to be aspirational, independent and to share with us responsibility for the future.
This Plan complements the wider Nottinghamshire Sustainable Community Strategy which is the collective plan that outlines how organisations in the county will work together to promote and deliver a better Nottinghamshire.
Our plan is ambitious. It is a plan based on what local people tell us they want, and what they want to see happen. The success of our plan relies on us working well together with local people and organisations. Whilst we face challenging financial times, nevertheless we have opportunities to promote and deliver a better future for Nottinghamshire.
(Posted 8/3/10)
Gritting
The exceptionally cold weather which affected Nottinghamshire and most other parts of the UK between December and February led to unprecedented pressures on local authority gritting supplies. Nottinghamshire County Council possessed stockpiles far exceeding Government recommendations and was able to keep its priority routes gritted even when other councils had exhausted their supplies. The biggest difficulty was obtaining replacement supplies, given the exceptional pressure on the two national companies who supply the country’s salt.
Taking these events into account, it was agreed at the recent County Council budget meeting to increase the gritting budget by £50,000 for 2010/11. It is also intended to use 6mm rather than 10mm salt, which will improve spread rate and increase our gritting capacity still further.
(Posted 8/3/10)
Working with parish councils and the voluntary sector
I am currently looking to attend as many parish council meetings within the division as possible, recognising the need to strengthen the links between all three tiers of local government: county, district and parish. This will be to the benefit of all our residents, preventing unnecessary overlap and recognising the many 'unsung heroes' working hard on behalf of their communities at parish level.
I am pleased to be able to support and recognise the work of voluntary organisations such as the Newstead Women's Institute, the Cornwater Day Club for the elderly at Ravenshead and the Scouts and Guides movements which contribute tremendously to the fabric of our society, providing facilities which would otherwise be beyond the capacity of statutory bodies.
(Posted 21/10/09)
Wild flower meadow
On Thursday 15th October I took great pleasure in meeting children from years four, five and six of the Linby-cum-Papplewick CofE Primary School at the bulb planting of a wild flower meadow at the Heritage Centre in Linby village. This was sponsored by Nottinghamshire County Council's Local Improvement Scheme (LIS).
(Posted 21/10/09)
Tram
On 24th September 2009 Nottinghamshire County Council voted to withdraw its financial support for the NET Phase Two transport scheme. As a Conservative County Councillor I was elected on a manifesto which stated: "We will avoid spending a small fortune on tram extensions which few people in the county will be able to use."
During the Council debate, several Conservative Members presented the argument for this change of policy. Some referred to the increasing costs of the scheme, whilst others supported the Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways' assertion that flexible bus services, rather than a fixed tram line, represent the most suitable public transport solution to serve the whole of Nottinghamshire and not just the city suburbs.
Some of my colleagues took the opportunity to confirm that, contrary to some media reports, the Conservative position on the proposed tram extensions has not changed. They pointed out that the previous Labour administration had entered into certain legal agreements in relation to NET Phase 2 which must be respected to protect the interests of the County taxpayer, but the new Conservative administration is quite clear that it does not support the proposed tram extension with its current routes through heavily populated residential areas.
(Posted 5/10/09)
Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)
Also at the Nottinghamshire County Council meeting on 24th September 2009, the Cabinet Member for Transport & Highways, Councillor Richard Jackson stated that the new Conservative county administration is opposed to Nottingham City Council's proposals for a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). He expressed concern about the financial impact such a Levy could have on County residents who work in the City and stated his belief that the WPL would be unlikely to cut congestion. Councillor Jackson argued that the scheme could lead to significant parking problems in areas of the County which abut the City boundary, frighten off economic investment in the City and County and hit business confidence at a time when it needs to be nurtured.
(Posted 5/10/09)
Chris' latest Councillors' Divisional Fund awards...
Following a decision taken by Cabinet on 8th July 2009, each County Councillor now has an annual fund of £10,000 to support worthy initiatives in the division they represent.
CDF aims to make use of each councillor's 'grass roots' knowledge to identify projects, events, people and clubs that work hard to benefit and promote their local area, but often lack access to resources. Even a small amount of funding can sometimes make a huge difference.
If you know of a deserving initiative in the Newstead division that might be eligible to receive a CDF grant, please contact me.
Here are some of the projects I've been able to help so far: -
Bestwood Village Plan
Funding from my CDF has helped the Bestwood Village Plan Steering Group to produce their Village Plan for the next 10 years.
Papplewick Parish Council
A grant from my CDF to Papplewick Parish Council has funded a new village sign.
Ravenshead Day Centre
I was pleased to make a CDF donation to the Ravenshead Day Centre to assist them with the purchase of new equipment.
Linby Parish Council
A contribution from my CDF has enabled Linby Parish Council to erect new railings in the area of a bus stop.
Ravenshead Summer Playscheme
I was pleased to make a contribution from my CDF to help the Ravenshead Summer Playscheme with the purchase of new equipment.
Joseph Whitaker School
I was pleased to use some of my CDF allocation to enable sixth form pupils from the Joseph Whitaker Foundation School & Specialist Sports College to visit the Nottinghamshire County Council offices at County Hall.
Newstead Parish Council
I was pleased to be able to assist Newstead Parish Council to provide a new muliti-use play area (MUGA).
New youth shelter
A grant from my CDF to the Arts Partnership Nottinghamshire helped with the design and construction of a new youth shelter.
Bestwood Black Diamonds Brass Band
I was pleased to assist the Bestwood Black Diamonds Brass Band with funding for the purchase of fleece jackets.
Newstead Abbey & Village Cricket Club
A contribution from my CDF has helped the Newstead Abbey & Village Cricket Club to purchase a new secure storage facility.
Papplewick & Linby Cricket Club
Funding from my CDF has assisted Papplewick & Linby Cricket Club with the purchase of a new sit-on trim mower.
D.A.R.E
I was pleased to be able to support the important work of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education project at the Newstead Primary School. As a former police officer I am only too well aware of the terrible impact that drug abuse has on our children. Any means by which we can dissuade the young from following this path has my full support.
Charity work abroad
I was pleased to present a grant to one young constituent to help cover the travel costs to work in an orphanage in Romania which cares for abandoned and neglected children. I was also able to similarly support the costs of another young constituent to undertake charity work at an orphanage in South Africa, which specialises in helping HIV-infected children abandoned by their families.
Victoria Cross Association
I have presented financial support to the Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Victoria Cross Association in their quest to erect a permanent memorial at the Nottingham City Castle in memory of all Nottinghamshire-associated recipients of this country's highest award for valour.
Newstead Women's Institute
I have been able to assist Newstead Women's Institute in their local community work, particularly around their catering for the recent launch of the local Parish Plan.
Chris' committees...
I serve on several committees including:-
Communities & Environment Standing Select
Administration
Appeals
Audit
Overview
Planning & Licensing
Standards
Schools Admissions Panel
Full details of council committee meetings can be found in the Council Diary.
