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GAZELEY PARISH COUNCIL
Newsletter
News from the Parish Council
Local Elections
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On 7 May, the country goes to the polls to elect a new
government. On the same day, elections are also being
held for County and District Councillors and this year there
is a contested election for Gazeley Parish Councillors.
There are seven vacancies on Gazeley Parish Council.
9 residents have been nominated to stand for election to fill
those vacancies for the next four years and here, in their
own words, is who they are:
Hilary Appleton – We moved to Gazeley 5 years ago.
Keen to be involved in village life and make a positive
contribution, I soon agreed to be co-opted onto the
Parish Council and have been pleased to serve the
village in that role since then.
I also helped to set up and run the Gazeley History
Society since June 2012.
My particular interests are helping to build a strong
inclusive village identity – e.g. all age groups –
improving the condition of village assets, particularly
the Green; being open to forward-looking ideas for
new development in the village and protecting and
enhancing our green and rural environment.
Paul Beard – I have been a resident in Gazeley for 23
years. My children attended Gazeley Primary School
where I was also a Governor before it closed. I am on
the Board of Trustees of Gazeley United Charities.
I have been on the Parish Council for the past 7 years
and Chairman for the past 3 years.
I am Group CIO of a global software company based
on the Science Park in Cambridge. I value village life
and wish we could stop those few “uncaring” dog
owners who do not clear up after their animals!
My interests are gardening and digital photography.
April 2015
John Chambers – I have lived in Gazeley for 15 years,
married with 2 daughters.
I am the European Sales Manager for a company
called SPS who are based in Blackpool. They
manufacture a whole range of promotional products
for business which are sold to distributors who are
then in touch with end users, i.e. people and
companies who want to promote their products and
services!
My main interests are Golf and walking and I am a
keen member of the Gazeley Golf society which meets
once a month to hack around a few courses in
Cambridgeshire and Suffolk!
Having lived here for so long (and have no intention of
moving as Gazeley is a great village), I wanted to be
on the Parish Council to give a voice on how it can
develop, be fair yet beneficial to the residents of
Gazeley, and represent views from the “bottom end”
of the village in any decisions whilst also maintaining
the charm of a small friendly village.
I believe the village has a uniqueness we want to
protect yet create opportunities for enhancement.
Ray Francis – I have lived in Gazeley for 26 years. My
four children attended Gazeley Primary School.
For a period of four years I managed Gazeley Football
Club and transformed its finances from a debt
position to a viable club. When the number of players
dwindled the club folded but I should like to see it
revived in the future.
I currently work as a Corporate Account Manager for a
global distribution organisation and prior to that had
careers in Lloyds of London and the Stock Exchange.
If I was fortunate to be elected as a councillor I would
bring my commercial knowledge, enthusiasm and
drive to the team.
I am keen to see the environment around the village
maintained and improved to a high standard.
In particular, areas such as the ponds and the village
green should be improved and the approaches to the
village should be cleared of litter.
Being a regular walker I am disgusted by the amount
of litter being dumped around our villages. It has to
stop.
Kevin Grimwood – I moved to the village in 2007 and
married my wife, Lisa, who has been a resident of
Gazeley all her life. I have one son, a daughter, two
step-sons and 4 grandchildren. I am a keen member
of the Gazeley Golf Society, a member of Gazeley
Cricket Club and I have also represented Gazeley
darts, pool and petanque teams since living in the
village. Wherever I’ve lived I have always been keen
to get involved with the local community.
I am employed in the refrigeration and petrochemical
industries and am also a football referee and assessor.
I became a Parish Councillor in May 2011.
In the future I am keen to see the facilities at the
playing field improved, with proper changing rooms
and toilet facilities, and I would like to see an
improvement in the equipment at the children’s
playing field, especially for the older age children.
I feel strongly about the position of the speed limit
signs and I feel that they should be moved to the outskirts of the village. Another issue I feel strongly about
is the amount of water that floods Kentford Road and
I feel that we should campaign stronger on both these
issues to Suffolk Highways Department.
The most important aspect of being a councillor is to
serve the interests of the residents of Gazeley.
Judy Moatt – I have lived in Gazeley for over 40
years and have served on the Parish Council for over
20 years.
I was a Governor at Gazeley Primary School until its
closure and I am on the Board of Trustees of Gazeley
United Charities.
My main interest is in the wildlife of the countryside.
I now volunteer for the R.V.S. at Newmarket Hospital.
I feel that it is very important to support all the events
that are held in the village which help to draw the
community together.
Tom Morgan – My wife Liz and I have two grown up
daughters and three young grandchildren.
I was brought up in Barrow and Liz and I came to live
in Gazeley at Easter 1976. I retired from my job in
structural engineering at the end of May 2014.
I have been on Gazeley Parish Council for about 11
years. I try to be fair and honest in what I say and to
be unbiased and objective.
I have previously been on the Village Hall Committee,
Chairman of the Gazeley cricket and table tennis clubs
and various other clubs and societies outside the
village. Also, I am currently a member of the Gazeley
History Society organising committee.
I play cricket and five-a-side football, enjoy working
on my allotment, local and worldwide history,
archaeology, astronomy, geology and interesting
things in general.
Pat Spillane – I was born in Sydney, Australia and have
lived and run businesses in Suffolk for the past 26
years which included founding the Old Cannon
Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds. I am now hoping to
repeat the success of that business in Gazeley at The
Chequers by creating a sustainable and diverse
commercial facility in the village. I worked hard to
raise funds for a defibrillator in the village and was
satisfied to see it installed in the telephone kiosk on
the green. I believe that this is a vital and necessary
asset to the village and I was pleased to be
instrumental in providing it.
The Chequers is currently undergoing much needed
renovation and we have plans to convert the whole of
the ground floor into a bar and restaurant.
I would like to be elected onto the Parish Council to
help steer improvements and positive changes that
will bring long term benefits to the whole village
community.
Charlene Vandenbroucke – Most of you will probably
know that I am French and have lived in Gazeley for
nine years (sixteen years in total in the UK).
I have served on the Parish Council here for the last
four years. I am also an active member of the Events
Committee and help when I can at events run by All
Saints’ Church. Most recently I organised a cake stall
for the MacMillan Coffee Morning and have plans for
a similar event this year. I am thirty nine years old
and work as a freelance translator for the biotech
industry. My personal pleasures include cooking for
friends, good films, gardening, travelling and visiting
places of interest. I love British and French history
and have a particular interest for lost civilisations.
My reason for wanting to be re-elected to the Parish
Council is simply that I want to support and help my
village.
Well there they are. Please go along to the Village
Hall on 7th May and use your vote to help to decide
who will serve you for the next four years.
Other news
The Annual Parish Meeting is being held on Tuesday
12th May at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. We’ll have
reports from all the village organisations, (and who
knew that there was a Gazeley Golf Society!), and we
will be throwing open the floor to any residents who
wish to make a contribution to the discussion. This
isn’t a Parish Council meeting, it is your meeting so do
come along and have your say on anything at all.
The AGM of the Parish Council will follow straight
after this meeting.