Changes in councillors

East Lavington Parish Council Chairman Simon Longman has been co-opted to Graffham Parish Council as the proposed merger between the two bodies moves ahead.  He said the move “demonstrates we are committed to working together to this end and will help smooth the transition to the eventual new combined council”.

After more than a year of discussions and extensive consultation with their parishioners, both current parish councils have voted to merge, subject to final details being ironed out.  Chichester District Council, which must rule on any such combination, is proposing to  meet  with  representatives  of  both parish councils in late May to discuss a potential pathway to the merger – delayed by the late reinstatement of the West Sussex County Council elections early next month, which has diverted the attention of the relevant officers.

Simon was elected Chairman of East Lavington Parish Council at its meeting last May, after serving as one of its councillors for five years.  He drafted a business case proposing that the two parish councils should merge, which he presented at a joint meeting of the villages last year.  Current chairman also of Graffham Tennis Club, he recently spearheaded the campaign to bring ultra-fast broadband to East Lavington He has lived in Norwood Lane for 14 years with his wife and their two teenage children, both at Seaford College.  He works as a consultant, leading a project to install a new IT system for Network Rail, covering 1,600 locations across the country.

Hilary Major is also being co-opted back onto Graffham Parish Council as a councillor. She served in this capacity for several years until recently,  A long-term and active member of the village, she has volunteered over the years as the council’s footpath warden, Secretary of Graffham Recreation Ground Committee, Tower Captain of St Giles’ bellringers and as a leading light of Graffham Tennis Club.

Meantime, Fiona Jacob is standing down as a Graffham parish councillor.  She has served on the council for three years, most recently as Chair of its Planning Committee and as its representative on the Empire Hall committee of trustees.  Chairman Gillian Charlesworth thanked Fiona for her contribution in this role.