Meet Your Councillors
Town Councillors elected for the term 2023 - 2027
ABBEY WARD
Cllr John Critchley
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Towards the end of a career as a professional architectural photographer and lecturer, John came to live in Romsey twenty-one years ago.
For John, cooking is one of life’s real pleasures and is a way of getting people around a table to talk and enjoy life. He also enjoys the garden, reading (especially non-fiction), theatre and foreign travel. A believer that good communication solves many problems in life, John hopes that as a town councillor, he can be effective in trying to make this super town an even better place to live and work. |
Cllr Ian Culley
[email protected]
01794 522298 / 07835 087955 |
Born in Hampshire, Ian has made Romsey his home for over forty years. He is married with a son who is an engineering geologist. Ian studied law at Exeter University and recently retired after practising for many years as a solicitor both in private practice and as a Senior Crown Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service. Ian loves Romsey and now wants to put something back.
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Cllr Simon Wilkinson
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Simon grew up in Worcestershire, came to Southampton in 1983 as a student, and moved to Romsey in 2006. He believes in enabling people to be happy and is increasingly concerned/involved with environmental issues. He works in technology and his immediate family comprises his significant other, his son and four cats.
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Cllr Colin Burgess
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Committees:
Register of interests |
Colin moved to Romsey from the Glasgow area in 2005.
He retired in 2015 after spending most of his IT career working for DFID, the then Government Department responsible for the UK Aid program. Colin feels privileged to have been part of a large team with a moral and worthwhile purpose. His role opened his eyes up for the need to alleviate poverty and fix the Climate Emergency. He believes in showing compassion and equality to others regardless of their background. Colin’s hobbies and interests include running an allotment, cycling, rugby union (strictly spectating), walking and volunteering. He is a volunteer driver for Romsey Good Neighbours, who incidentally are always looking for new drivers! |
CUPERNHAM WARD
Cllr Neil Gwynne
[email protected]
01794 368053 / 07884 023646 |
Neil has lived in Romsey since 2011, and this is his second term as a Town Councillor. He is also on his second term as a Borough Councillor, currently as Leader of the LibDem group. In his first term Neil established Wilder Romsey and was Romsey's Mayor between 2022 and 2023. He has also spent ten years as Chair at the Plaza Theatre.
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Cllr Janet Burnage
[email protected]
07764 584522 |
Janet’s association with Romsey goes back to the mid-1960s. Educated in Romsey she has always felt a close affinity with the town and it’s feeling of community. Her love of Romsey made her feel that she wanted to do more to help maintain and build on that community spirit, so in 2011 she was elected onto Romsey Town Council. Janet was Romsey Town Mayor from May 2019 to May 2021 – having a two year period due to Covid. She has represented the Cupernham ward on the Planning Committee and is a past chair of the Building and Town Committee. She is a staunch supporter of the independent shops in Romsey and can be seen in the town most Saturday mornings.
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Cllr Christopher Birkett
[email protected]
01794 512837 |
I live and work in Romsey, I am passionate about serving the community and being an advocate for those whose voice is not always heard. I volunteer for several local charities including the Lions club, Sea Cadets and Plaza theatre. We are very fortunate to live in such beautiful surroundings, I enjoy any opportunity to get out and explore these with the family and our pet dog. I am also a foster carer and would like to get more young people interested in volunteering for their local community.
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Cllr Aidan Goddard
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I’ve lived in Romsey since 2016, along with my wife. We decided to settle here and purchased our home a few years ago. I work full-time as a software engineer, mostly for local companies, but have recently been working from home for a company based further away. As a younger councillor, I hope to be able to bring a different point of view to our debates, and push for changes that benefit the entire population of Romsey. My favourite colour is usually purple.
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Cllr Rohit Kohli
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Rohit Kohli, a seven-year resident of Romsey, is a dedicated community member with a rich professional background. After a twenty-five year corporate career, he joined his wife's business and committed himself to local service. He's a trustee and volunteer at Abbotswood Community Centre, founder of a free table tennis club, and former school governor in Southampton. Rohit's passion lies in enhancing community life and unity in Romsey.
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Cllr Russell Theron
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Russell is a former pupil of Romsey School and is one of the new faces to join the Town Council. After a successful career in Hospitality Management, Russell moved back to his home town of Romsey where he currently lives with his husband and their Foster Children.
Russell is the Vice Chair and Youth Liaison Officer at the Plaza Theatre and regularly volunteers with local charities including Romsey Young Carers and Romsey Lions. Russell is passionate about the future generation, and the needs of the town’s younger residents. |
ROMSEY EXTRA WARD
Cllr John Ray
[email protected]
01794 522810 |
John was born in Romsey and has lived and worked here all his life. Married to Rose with three children, he has owned a hair salon in the town for nearly forty years and has been a Councillor for twenty years. He is Chairman of Romsey Carnival Committee and President of Romsey Good Neighbours.
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TADBURN WARD
Cllr Mark Cooper
[email protected]
01794 516028 / 07774 638310 |
Mark has been a Romsey Town Councillor since June 1986. He was Romsey Town Mayor in 1991, 2007 and 2012 and has also been a member of Test Valley Borough Council since 1986 and Hampshire County Council, representing the whole of Romsey town, since 2005. He specialises in planning and regulatory matters and is a member of the Hampshire’s Regulatory Committee and Hamble River Authority. He was Mayor of Test Valley 2021 - 2022 and is Chair of the Borough’s Southern Planning Committee.
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Cllr John Parker
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John has lived in Romsey for nearly fifty years. He and his wife, Tessa, have two children and three grandchildren, all of whom live locally. He is a retired IT consultant.
He was first elected to Romsey Town Council in 2015 after twenty-nine years on Romsey Extra Parish Council and Romsey Town Mayor in 2016 – 2017. In 2019 John was also elected as a TVBC councillor for Tadburn ward, a role that continues today. His primary interest is in planning and has been very involved in the development of several iterations of the TVBC local plan. He has been a member of the Romsey Future team since its inception in 2013. John is also an active member of Romsey Twinning. |
Cllr Jacqueline Urquhart
[email protected]
07365 246294 |
Originally from the Midlands, Jacqui settled in Romsey in 2000 to bring up her daughter and wants to make sure that Romsey retains its market town character and remains a welcoming place to live. She is a pharmacist and works in the pharmaceutical industry. She has a particular interest in environmental issues.
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Cllr Sandra Gidley
[email protected]
07919 538263 |
Sandra describes her life as people, pharmacy and politics. Her main motivation in life is helping people and she became a community pharmacist and also trained as an antenatal teacher. Aware of injustice she decided she had to try and improve the system and thus became politically active. Between 2000 and 2010 she was the MP for Romsey. She then devoted her time to pharmacy politics and chaired the English Pharmacy Board before becoming President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. She now spends her time enjoying grandchildren and belonging to a range of local organisations.
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