2022 is an important year for Fareham’s Liberal Democrats. Three of their existing Councillors are set to retire after decades of service to the community. Within the Fareham District are fifteen Wards and, this year, sixteen Council seats will be contested. The elected Councillors will serve only two years before a revision of Ward boundaries is undertaken; with all Liberal Democrats candidates pictured below with profiles. All information has been sent to the Globe email address and laid out by our Assistant Editor.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
David Hamilton (Fareham East): With two school-age children, he understands the needs of working families. His wife runs a local fitness enterprise but is also an environmental scientist and he works from home in the insurance industry. Fareham East has been their home since 2015 and, together with LibDem Cllr. Katrina Trott, David has run several local environmental campaigns. He is also a volunteer/trustee for the Friday Night Club (FNC) – a local charity providing a range of activities to adults with special needs or learning difficulties. David campaigns for more truly affordable housing but opposes inappropriately dense developments.
Ciaran Urry-Tuttiett (Fareham North): Has lived in the Fareham area his whole life and now lives in Funtley – close to the Borough boundary and within the Fareham North ward. Ciaran is deeply committed to his local community and is determined to keep the place safe, clean, and friendly. For many years Ciaran worked in the public transport sector and understands the social and environmental value of local services. Now working as an administrator for a nearby street lighting enterprise he appreciates the technological and environmental benefits of upgrades to reduce energy use and costs whilst still maintaining vital services.
Pauline Galea (Fareham North-West): Has lived in Fareham and surrounding areas for more than 20 years and has deep insights into education services. Whilst Chair of Governors for St Columba primary school, Pauline was deeply involved with the complex process for its transition to academy status. Pauline plays a key part in productions at the Titchfield Festival Theatre where she manages the sound and lighting facilities. For the Borough Council seat of Fareham North-West, Pauline is keen to ensure that community arts and cultural activities are not further weakened by Conservative cuts.
Jim Palmer (Fareham South): He is standing for Fareham South, having lived in Fareham for the past three decades. Fareham benefits from many associations with seafarers and the disciplines of life at sea. Following a career in the Royal Navy, Jim has taken a keen interest in giving back to his local community, running a community hub to provide a safe place to meet and much needed support. He has a particular interest in the environmental impact of vehicles and is a very keen supporter of improved cycle routes and pedestrian areas.
Rowena Palmer (Fareham West): Standing for the community of Fareham West, Rowena’s 30-year experience of volunteering includes the local school PTA, the community hub, and the local branch of the Armed Forces charity – SSAFA. Rowena is passionately concerned with protection of green spaces and campaigns to fight against uncontrolled urbanisation. The unforeseen (or conveniently ignored) consequences of rampant housing development – the pressures on schools, on air quality, drainage systems and on family & social services – need far greater visibility for a Council that seems beholden to uninformed central dictums driven by a lust for market growth.
Gerald Drabble (Hill Head): Is a long-term resident of Hill Head. As a widower, he has brought up two children, who both attended local schools and local activities. Gerald volunteers at QA Hospital on a small committee overseeing end-of-life care.
He is deeply aware of many local issues impacting on community wellbeing. Street lighting cuts do nothing for crime deterrence or a sense of security – values rarely considered and foolishly foregone. On housing issues, Gerald says, “I do not want to see Hill Head become a concrete jungle. We must maintain the countryside corridor between this area and Fareham.”
Darren Alderson-Hall (Locks Heath): Locks Heath is “the place I call home.” Lived in Locks Heath throughout his childhood and returned in 2013 to continue serving as an NHS frontline team-leader. He’s passionate about society’s most vulnerable in an area with extremes of inequality. “I stand for our ward’s younger people, too long ignored. Passionate to create a safe, healthy place to raise families, I constantly strive to improve community wellbeing for all – equal access to beaches and safe areas for all ages, investment in health facilities and support for our frontline carers. All need a voice at the Council
Graham Everdell (Park Gate): The vast reserves of management and business talent that are embedded within our communities are an untapped resource for community development.” Graham Everdell’s family have lived in Park Gate since 2003 and he is now standing for Fareham Council’s Park Gate seat to infuse the council’s deliberations with clear-headed management competence. With his three sons at university and college, and now retired from a career in financial services, Graham seeks opportunities to positively influence how Fareham Council serves all residents. Leadership priorities are not eased by the confusion of purpose currently demonstrated by their central command.
Chrissie Bainbridge (Portchester East): 16 years of experience of Portchester’s community life is a very strong foundation for a future role stepping into the shoes of the Liberal Democrat councillors that have served Portchester East so well. My connections with local people have been massively reinforced through our Community Choir, voluntary work at Portchester’s Hub in the local shopping precinct, and my work at the Vets in White Hart Lane. After working in public transport for 40 years, I am keen to bring my wealth of people experience to forge improvements in life quality and opportunities, green spaces, and community well-being.
Paul Nother (Portchester East): Is following in his late father’s footsteps – he was a committee member in the first Portchester Community Association before it moved to the Hub in the Precinct. “I want to be able to support our community as he did, to make sure your concerns & issues are listened to and be acted upon.” His 30-year experience in the automotive industry has fuelled his family venture in Exhibition and Event management, and he well understands the need for regeneration of the village shopping precinct to make Portchester an even better place to live and work.
Ashley Brown (Portchester West): Has lived locally for the past 38 years. With three sons all attending state schools, he enjoys being an active member of the community. Stung by the Planning Inspectorate’s recent appeal decision to allow 225 new dwellings against the advice of Natural England and fierce local opposition, Ashley writes, “Local planning is broken. Decisions are made in Westminster to force ever higher numbers to be built with little regard for impact on local communities or ecology.” Ashley seeks to be elected in Portchester West so he can champion the local environment and create a more prosperous borough.
John Hughes (Sarisbury): Has lived in Lower Swanwick and traces his local connections way back to a Saturday job in the local boat yard. With one of his children attending the excellent Sarisbury Infant School, John is standing to represent this local community. His pioneering career in mechanical design for the pet food and confectionary industries would easily beat Greg Wallace’s ‘Inside The Factory’ insights! As a keen cyclist, John is appalled at the lack of safe cycle route networks across the Borough and will campaign to improve safety and attractiveness for those concerned to shift towards cleaner modes of transport.
Jimmy Roberts (Stubbington): Is standing to represent Stubbington at Fareham Borough Council. Well known within these local communities, Jimmy is actively working to raise local priorities and resist central government edicts that would further weaken the local environment. Coastal parking charges and the consequential pressures on residential side roads illustrate the attitudes of tax-hungry Tories. “Much of my daily work as a local Councillor will be concerned with listening to, and caring for, the concerns of local people. They will be encouraged by our competence in chasing down answers and making sure their voices are heard.”
Sandra Abrams (Titchfield Common): Is standing for Titchfield Common. Having lived in Fareham for more than fifteen years and with broad experience in local politics, Sandra is keen to fight against Government plans to increase urbanisation of our area. As a member of Friends of the Earth, Sandra understands the uphill struggle to protect our environment. “We need’, she says, “to be on a war footing to combat a climate catastrophe. Home decarbonisation (better insulation and reduced energy use) are essential first steps that need vastly greater investment.” Sandra also campaigns for better accessibility to good quality community services.
Justin Grimley (Titchfield): His family have lived and shopped in Fareham for over twenty years. With his youngest child at a good local school, Justin believes that as a local councillor for Titchfield he can encourage community organisations and councillors to work together for the wellbeing of all. Justin’s real passion is climate change, and he wants to work with councillors and local people to make Fareham residents proud of how we respond to the climate emergency. As an experienced project manager in the IT industry, Justin will work to make a Fareham an even better place to live.
John Murray (Warsash): Studied at Southampton University and after graduating (science) his early career in medical coding at Southampton General was an introduction to healthcare services. His admiration for the NHS was reinforced during time in Florida where he saw first-hand the extreme health inequalities of privatised services. With an informed interest in healthcare and health data, he now represents the local community at his GP practice’s Patient Participation Group. His daily digital devotions are balanced by local amateur dramatics and music gigs, and he campaigns for better evaluation of community healthcare investment and mental health services.
