COUNCILLORS
Godalming Town Council is made up of 20 elected councillors who cover five wards:
10 x Liberal Democrats
4 x Green
3 x Conservatives
2 x Labour
1 x Independent
WARD COUNCILLORS
WARD
WARD COUNCILLORS
Binscombe Ward
Central & Ockford Ward
Charterhouse Ward
Farncombe & Catteshal Ward
Holloway Ward
WARD COUNCILLORS (ALPHABETICAL)
Alex Adam (Liberal Democrat) represents the Farncombe & Catteshall Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Sport Godalming |
Email: [email protected]
Alex has lived in and around Godalming for most of his life and studied at Godalming Sixth Form before travelling and working overseas for a number of years.
His early career was in marketing and advertising, before moving to central government. He now works for The Rivers Trust which is a small conservation charity.
Alex lives with his family in central Farncombe, he has two boys in the local schools and is an active member of the local community. He spends most of his spare time trying to keep his two sons and dog exhausted and his wife happy, and occasionally gets the chance to go fly fishing.
Alex is really honoured to have been elected to the Town Council; he loves Godalming & Farncombe and will work hard to try and make it an even better place to live.
Richard Ashworth (Labour) represents the Central & Ockford Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee |
GTC Representative for: | St Mark's Community Centre Management Committee |
Email: [email protected]
Richard has lived in Waverley on and off most of his life, including 35 years in Godalming. He is married with six children all of whom attended local schools. In the 70’s he ran a chain of record shops based in Guildford and in the 80’s and 90’s a local financial services practice. Since 1998 he has been a teacher and practitioner of Chinese Metaphysics. In between times he ran the cricket at (what was then) Guildford & Godalming Rugby and co-chaired the PTA at Binscombe Primary School.
He became politically active for the first time supporting Lousie Irvine’s campaign to save the NHS in 2015 and is passionate about ensuring a fair crack of the whip for everyone. His particular interests in local government are adequate appropriate housing and care for the young, the old, the mentally ill, and the defenceless.
Gerry Boyle (Labour) represents the Binscombe Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Audit Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Godalming/Joigny Friendship Association |
Email: [email protected]
Gerry has lived in and around Godalming for nearly 30 years. He grew up in Glasgow and after university worked in management consulting and IT, until around ten years ago when he moved to work in international development, first with Oxfam, then with Care International. He has recently retired.
Gerry is married with four grown-up children and two grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys running.
Gerry is keen to ensure that everyone has a voice locally and that affordable housing can be made more available for local people. He is also keen to see Godalming plan as big a role as possible in tackling the climate emergency.
Steve Cosser (Conservative) represents the Charterhouse Ward; he is also a Waverley Borough Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Surrey Association of Local Councils |
Email: [email protected]
Steve has lived in the Godalming area for 40 years; it is his home, he knows the area well and has a total commitment to its wellbeing and improvement. He is married with two children and five grandchildren, all of whom live locally. His career was in Local Government and he brings this experience to bear on his work as a Town Councillor. He was the Surrey County Councillor for Godalming North from 2009-2017 and was Town Mayor in 2011-12. He is involved in a wide range of community organisations and has been a governor of two local schools. Most recently he has been responsible for setting up and is chairman of, the Farncombe Initiative, which is working to improve the Farncombe and Binscombe areas. Steve’s leisure interests include travel, football and bowls.
Bob Crooks (Green) represents the Holloway Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee - Chair |
GTC Representative for: | District Scout Council |
Email: [email protected]
Bob and Veronica have lived in Godalming Holloway Ward since 1985. Their three children went to local Busbridge and Rodborough schools and are now all married and bringing up their four grandchildren.
On graduating from York University in 1975 with a degree in Physics and Philosophy, Bob started his career in computing with MAFF as a Programmer Training Officer at their computer centre in Guildford. In 1980 he was given a year’s paid sabbatical to study at the London School of Economics and gained an MSc in Information Systems with distinction. He moved to work for Defra in Whitehall as a Programme Manager implementing the UK fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS). He went on to lead the EU Expert Group that drew up and agreed the regulations and then successfully drove the roll out of VMSs across all coastal states. Wishing to continue his involvement with sustainability on retirement, he continues to lead the British Computer Society Green IT specialist group, is an adviser to the UK Government’s Green IT Delivery Unit and has become a member of the Green Party. He is now keen to bring his expertise to the Town Council and get local issues resolved in sustainable ways.
Bob actively supports a number of local charities. He is a trustee for Guildford Action which he founded back in 1980 and which provides local services for the homeless and families in crisis. In 2007 he was awarded an MBE for this work. He helped set up and now chairs the trustee board for FurnitureLink Guildford, a local charity for recycling furniture. He also sings with the Occam Singers, a local charity chamber choir that puts on 4 concerts each year for local charities and currently is chair of their Board. In his spare time he regularly plays squash, walks, cycles and swims.
Adam Duce (Liberal Democrat) represents the Central & Ockford Ward.
Position: | Deputy Mayor |
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee - Chair |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Adam was born and brought up in Weybridge before moving to Devon when he was 7 and returning to Surrey in 2015 to start his first teaching post at Godalming College. Since 2015, Adam has become Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, a Staff Governor and Deputy Head of English at the College.
Adam is very committed to the education sector having recently completed his MA in English Education from UCL and now a Director and Trustee for GASP Motor Project, a charity that provides an alternative education programme to disadvantaged young people.
As a young teacher, Adam is passionate about getting more young people involved with politics at both a local and national level and this is one of the reasons why he ran to be a Town Councillor. He is also a serious environmentalist.
Having a specialism in English, Adam enjoys reading and, with his degree focussed on linguistics, loves to learn new words.
Shirley Faraday (formerly Wardell) (Green) represents the Farncombe & Catteshall Ward.
Position: | Mayor |
Committee Membership: | - |
GTC Representative for: | Fairtrade Steering Group Godalming/Joigny Friendship Association (ex officio) |
Email: [email protected]
Shirley has lived in Farncombe for 19 years and runs a small Leadership Training Business with her husband, David. They have a 17 year old daughter who is studying music. Shirley is involved in many community activities, most notably with the Godalming Unitarians and You Ukes, Ukulele Group. You Ukes are regulars at the Godalming Staycation, offering free workshops for families, and playing at community events throughout the year.
Shirley has worked for Positive Money, campaigning for monetary reform. In 2018, Shirley wrote and produced a play called ‘Balance’ that highlighted how challenging it is for small entrepreneurs to thrive. The production was a true community project, involving two local dance groups, You Ukes, students from The University of the Creative Arts, costumes loaned from The University of Surrey and volunteer actors.
Shirley is currently working with Dr. Denise Baden, Head of Business Sustainability at the University of Southampton to promote creative writing that has an optimistic vision of the planet’s future.
Paul Follows (Liberal Democrat) represents the Central & Ockford Ward; he is also a Waverley Borough Councillor and a Surrey County Councillor.
Position: | Leader of the Council |
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee (ex officio) |
GTC Representative for: | Surrey Hills-South Downs Community Rail Partnership |
Email: [email protected]
Paul was born in Devon but has lived in Surrey for most of his life, and Godalming for several years.
He studied at the University of Surrey in Guildford, obtaining undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in European and International Politics.
Paul co-founded a student-led think-tank with the University of Warwick on the subjects of terrorism and extremism (where he served as Programme Director) and has worked as a consultant researcher for planning at Surrey Heath Borough Council.
Currently, he is employed at one of the world’s largest security and defence companies covering compliance, standards and ethics for Europe and North America.
Paul is excited about being a Town and Waverley Borough Councillor and wants to build on the foundations that make Godalming a great place to live and work and to ensure that all the voices of our town are represented. He currently lives in Catteshall and in his spare time is a tenor with the Guildford Choral Society and an avid traveller.
Joan Heagin (Liberal Democrat) represents the Holloway Ward; she is also a Waverley Borough Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Audit Committee - Chair |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Joan has lived in Surrey for 40 years; the last 15 as a Busbridge resident. Quite a contrast to growing up on a Northumberland hill farm, where she attended local grammar school before gaining a degree in economics at Manchester.
Joan took early retirement from a successful insurance career in the City in order to give something back; recognising that as part of a privileged generation there is a responsibility to help others. This has led to a variety of voluntary roles; from an orphanage in Nepal to dog walking for elderly local residents.
Joan gains particular satisfaction from her work with Citizens Advice. She is also on the committee of Busbridge Village Hall and treasurer of Busbridge Duplicate Bridge Club.
Apart from bridge, Joan’s main interests are travel and the arts. She is divorced with one adult son.
Heather Hullah (Liberal Democrat) represents the Binscombe Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee - Vice Chair |
GTC Representative for: | Farncombe Day Centre |
Email: [email protected]
Heather has lived in several locations in the South East, moving to Godalming some 17 years ago. Having gained various professional qualifications as a mature student, she worked in several public sector organisations as a Training Manager and Management Trainer. Then, in semi-retirement, Heather trained to become a relationship counsellor.
She loves gardening and making chutneys, jams and soups using the produce from her large flower, fruit and vegetable garden. She raises plants for the Town Show and other local events. Heather also enjoys working with her partner in their wood, managing it sustainably and improving its biodiversity.
She has been a School Governor and Chair of Governors in Godalming. More recently Heather was Chairman of Greening Godalming. Activities for this included advising residents and organisations about ways to reduce their carbon footprint and giving public talks. She and her partner have put much effort into generating renewable energy and reducing the carbon footprint in their home and car. They took part in the Surrey wide exemplar show houses open to the public organised by Action Surrey.
Heather is looking forward to being more involved with other organisations in Godalming and understanding the needs of residents and businesses. She hopes to find ways to more fully meet these through the Town Council services. She is very concerned about the long term effects of climate change for our children and grandchildren. She hopes to harness the desire of many residents to make realistic changes as a local contribution to this global emergency.
Tom Kiehl (Liberal Democrat) represents the Godalming Central & Ockford
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Go Godalming Association |
Email: [email protected]
Tom relocated with his young family to Godalming at the beginning of 2021. Having lived in both Godalming and Farncombe previously, Tom was inspired to return by the beautiful surroundings and fantastic amenities that the area has to offer.
Tom was born and brought up on the south coast, before moving to Kent to study European Politics at university. Following graduation he worked at the House of Lords for over a decade before moving to his current role at UK Music, the trade body which represents the entire music industry. Tom is currently the Deputy CEO and Director of Public Affairs at the organisation and was responsible at the start of the pandemic for leading the organisation’s response to the crisis.
Tom is passionate about access and opportunity. In his professional life, Tom works across the music industry on initiatives to unlock talent and potential in young people, as well as increasing provision for the arts amongst the disadvantaged and vulnerable.
Tom’s priorities include enhancing Godalming’s cultural offer, supporting youth services and projects to tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as backing local shops, hospitality and small businesses to ensure their continued sustainability following the pandemic.
Peter Martin (Conservative) represents the Holloway Ward; he is also a Waverley Borough Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Godalming Joint Burial Committee - Vice Chair |
GTC Representative for: | Holloway Hill Sports Association |
Email: [email protected]
Peter Martin moved to Godalming with his wife Rachel and 3 now grown up children in 1984. He graduated with an Honours Degree in Geography from the University of Durham and is a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants Association. He served with Voluntary Service Overseas in Khartoum, Sudan for 2 years before working for over 30 years in the international IT industry holding senior positions in Finance and Marketing in London, New York and Paris. Peter and his family are very active in the community.
Peter was first elected to Godalming Town Council in 1991 and was the Town Mayor in 2005. He is also a Waverley Borough and a Surrey County Councillor. He is Chairman of Governors of St Catherine’s School, Bramley, Chairman of the Surrey Civilian-Military Partnership Board, Chairman of Forces Connect South East, Vice Chairman of the Godalming Performing Arts Festival and is a Board Member of Surrey Hills Enterprises. He is also active with various church, music and sports organisations.
Peter wants to preserve the character and charm of our lovely town while at the same time ensuring its continued vibrancy and enterprise – which makes Godalming such a wonderful place in which to live.
Chris Neill (Independent) represents the Charterhouse Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Godalming Joint Burial Committee |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Chris has lived in Peper Harow, just outside Godalming, since moving there with his family for work in 1992. He worked at Peper Harow, and in London, as a psychotherapist until retiring from that profession in 2017.
His children (now grown up) have all been educated in local state schools. Chris has been involved, mostly as a parent, in a number of locally-based clubs and sports organisations. He continues to play in a co-run veterans 11-a-side football team, is an active tennis club member, a keen hiker and gardener, and a very mediocre guitarist.
Since 2018 he has been an increasingly active environmental campaigner and is currently the Co-ordinator of the Extinction Rebellion Godalming.
Chris has not held public office before and is looking forward to exploring how to be an effective Independent Councillor for Godalming.
Paul Rivers (Liberal Democrat) represents the Binscombe Ward; he is also a Waverley Borough Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Godalming Joint Burial Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Godalming/Mayen Association |
Email: [email protected]
Paul has lived in Godalming since 1976 when he came here from Oxford University while completing his Doctorate in Bio-physics. He taught physics at Charterhouse for three years before moving to the City.
Paul has had a long career in IT and compliance. He is married to Penny and is a father of four (now adults).
Paul is currently Church Warden of St John the Evangelist, Farncombe.
He was elected to Godalming Town Council and Waverley Borough Council in 2003 and served as Town Mayor in 2008 and is very pleased to be able to serve the community again.
Penny Rivers (Liberal Democrat) represents the Farncombe & Catteshall Ward; she is also a Waverley Borough Councillor and Surrey County Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee |
GTC Representative for: | Surrey Hills-South Downs Community Rail Partnership |
Email: [email protected]
Penny was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She came to live in England in 1974; Godalming quickly became home.
She married Paul in 1979 in St Peter & St Paul’s Parish Church.
Penny is mother to 4 Rivulets all of whom attended local state schools.
She was elected to Godalming Town Council in 1995 and served 16 years, twice as Town mayor.
Penny worships at St John the Evangelist, Farncombe and is currently the County Councillor for Godalming North.
Michael Steel (Liberal Democrat) represents the Charterhouse Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Godalming Joint Burial Committee - Chair |
GTC Representative for: | Godalming Museum Trust |
Email: [email protected]
Michael and his wife Jane were both born in Godalming and have lived here for most of their lives. Michael attended Godalming Grammar school and Guildford College and is now a chartered accountant having trained and qualified with a local firm. He now works part-time for a firm in Haslemere.
Michael and Jane have three adult children and three grandchildren. They are both involved in youth work.
Michael has been a governor of two local schools and has been involved with several local charities and organisations including Godalming CAB.
Michael has served several terms on Godalming Town Council and was town mayor in 1993/4.
His hobbies include cricket (as a spectator!), music, reading and occasionally helping Jane on her allotment!
Michael Stubbs (Liberal Democrat) represents the Holloway Ward.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Audit Committee (JBC Member) |
GTC Representative for: | Godalming & District Chamber of Commerce |
Email: [email protected]
Michael has lived in the Godalming area for most of his life. He was educated at Milford Junior School and Godalming Grammar School before embarking on a career in the Construction Industry, first as a Quantity Surveyor, and until he retired he was a Health & Safety Consultant.
Michael is married and has two grown up children.
He is a member of the Godalming & Haslemere Ramblers, Godalming Trust, and helps with Manna Ministries a Christian Performing Arts Group based in Guildford, which includes children from this area.
He is on the Management Committee of the Trinity Trust Team and is involved with the Conservatoire Concerts for aspiring young musicians.
Michael is chair of a small Housing Association in Guildford for people with mental issues.
He attends Busbridge Church and has recently stood down as Chair of Churches Together in Godalming & District.
Michael was a Godalming Town Councillor from 1991 until 2003.
He was Chair of the Planning Committee and founded Sport Godalming and Go Godalming and was Town Mayor 1998/99.
He is interested in history, especially the Anglo-Saxon and Norman periods and also local history.
Clare Weightman (Green) represents the Binscombe Ward.
Position: | Deputy Leader |
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Godalming Joint Burial Committee |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Clare was born in South Africa in 1982, to expat parents from the north of England. Her experience of growing up during the dying days of Apartheid, and the transition to democracy under Nelson Mandela, shaped her political outlook and gave her a strong belief in social justice and democratic accountability.
She has an Honours degree in Classics and Archaeology and an MA in Ancient History from the University of Cape Town, where she also lectured in Classics for a time.
In 2007, Clare left South Africa for a gap year travelling through Europe arriving in the UK; she never left. She met her husband on her first day in Godalming and after working in the academic book trade for several years she retrained as a teacher.
Clare became active in the Green Party subsequent to her move from Guildford to Farncombe and also supports SW Surrey Compass (current the Chair). She also volunteers with her local NCT branch and set up and still runs the Godalming Nappy Library.
Ross Welland (Conservative) represents the Farncombe & Catteshall Ward.
Committee Membership: | Policy & Management Committee Audit Committee |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Ross Welland has always lived in or close to the Godalming area. Married with two children, both at local state schools, Ross is keen to help Godalming remain a suitable place to bring up a family.
Ross works as an accountant, specialising in tax. That work requires not just an understanding of numbers but also of the way organisations work, and most importantly an understanding of people, as it is people rather than numbers that ultimately make things work.
In their spare time, Ross and his family spend much of their time in the local countryside, which they feel it is important to protect. Ross can also be found from time to time on the stage with various amateur dramatic groups.
Steve Williams (Green) represents the Charterhouse Ward; he is also a Waverley Borough Councillor.
Committee Membership: | Environment & Planning Committee Staffing Committee |
GTC Representative for: | - |
Email: [email protected]
Steve has lived in Robin Hill in the Charterhouse ward since 2007, returning to Godalming after a break of 15 years. A former headteacher, he now works as a freelance education consultant and is an active member of the Green Party.
Elected to both Godalming Town Council and Waverley Borough Council, Steve is particularly interested in environmental issues and combatting the impact of climate change. As such he is delighted to have been appointed as the portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability on the Executive of Waverley Borough Council.
Steve has long been a member of Compass, an organisation that describes itself as home for everyone who wants to be part of a much more equal, democratic, and sustainable future. He founded South West Surrey Compass in 2015 and is passionate about cross-party collaboration and progressive politics, locally and nationally. He co-edited the book “A New Way of Doing Politics”, which tells the story of the 2017 general election in South West Surrey from the perspective of those who put aside their party differences and supported Dr. Louise Irvine of the National Health Action Party.