A couple of weeks ago, I was asked if I wanted to be a parish councillor for my local area. Of course, I said yes. Due to the parish clerk being on annual leave, I’ve had to wait a bit for this.
I was asked to write a speech on why I wanted to become a parish councillor. It can be seen below:
Some of you may recognise me from greeting you from behind the bar in the Chequers Inn, or some of you may recognise me as the man walking his Jack Russell through the village. I first came to Aylesford four years ago, when I was employed to run the Chequers Inn pub, without having thought that I would be living in such an idyllic village. It wasn’t until I left the chequers that I moved to Aylesford, so I’ve lived in Aylesford for a year and a half.
After leaving Snodland, I was a very active member of their community. I was chairman of the Snodland Goes Cleaner campaign, which was created to tackle the litter issue and make Snodland a cleaner town. I was also coopted as an associate member of the Malling and Holmesdale federations’ governing bodies (the Holmesdale School and Malling School). Where I worked with the likes of the late Charlie Greyhurst and Richard Sams, OBE. I helped the school with its strategy, held the headteacher and the executive principal to account, and made sure the school’s budget was properly managed.
Until recently, I have been appointed as a trustee of the Aylesford Community Centre, where I advance the purposes of the Aylesford Community Centre and carry out its charitable purposes for public benefit. I am also in the process of being appointed trustee of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, which manages the Aylesford Almshouses.
I have just been made a digital champion in Kent, where I support and improve the digital skills of members of our communities who have been left behind by the increasing digitization of everyday life.
My main profession has mainly been running pubs and restaurants. I’m currently a supervisor training to be a manager for a well-known pub chain that has more than fifteen pubs and restaurants across Kent and Sussex.
I want to be a parish councillor because community is important to me. I want to be part of something bigger! By being a councillor, I can make things better for all of us and benefit everyone by being the voice of Aylesford residents. I want to make changes, as I am the voice of the future. I want to work together with you and make a difference.
I had a lot of fun writing this speech, and hopefully I’ll be writing more.
A couple of weeks ago, the policy committee agreed that I should be co-opted onto the parish council. Tonight’s full parish council meeting will ratify the decision. I will have to swear an oath and sign some paperwork too.
I might be the youngest parish councillor in Aylesford too.
All exciting stuff!
