Your Parish Councillors

Mr Bob Hutton

Chairman

Bob Hutton retired from his post as CEO of a national charity based in Surrey in 2011. He was a Magistrate for 23 years and was awarded an MBE in 2011 for services to the community.

Bob Hutton served previously for 17 years on WWPC and returned in May 2015 after a 4 year absence whilst undertaking another community project on behalf of the Woodger Trust. He has held the post of Vice Chair and Chair and currently serves as Vice Chairman.

Working Party membership: Ex officio Member of all working parties.

Mrs Bridget Wright

Vice Chairman

Mr Bill Buckland

I was born in West Wittering in 1942 and went to local school in 1946/47. My family lived in West Wittering since the 1800’s. I am retired from operating a local bus and coach company and have been a West Wittering Parish Councillor for thirty years. I always endeavour to have community's best interest at heart and would like to continue to do so with their support.

Working Party membership 2018/19; Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, Footpaths and Open Spaces, Sportsfield management and Millennium Meadow, Tree Warden, Shore Rd Improvements, Manhood Peninsula Partnership, South Chichester CLC

Mr Keith Martin

Resident of West Wittering since 1994 with a life long association with the village, Keith Martin is a qualified physicist who has spent much of his career in aviation and project finance.

Keith Martin was a core member of the team that created the Village Design Statement in 2006, was elected a Parish Councillor in 2007 and is a past chairman of the Parish Council. He recently stood down from the board of Chichester Harbour Conservancy and their Planning Committee.

Working Party membership for 2022/23 : Finance & Resources, Website Communications & IT. Representative on: East Head Coastal Issues Advisory Group and the Parish Church and West Wittering Estate liaison groups. Cllr Martin is also chairman of the Eleemosynary Charity that makes small grants to local residents with specific needs.

Mrs Nicolette Pike

I have been a resident of West Wittering for over 16 years and a frequent visitor since schildhood. I became a councillor in 2017 and represent the Parish Council on East Head Coastal Issues Advisory Group and Chichester District Association of Local Councils (CDALC). I am Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and of the Green Spaces working party and a member of the Planning Committee.

I have been elected a member of the Chichester Harbour Conservancy Advisory Committee by CDALC and sit on the Conservancy's Planning Committee.

My background is as a solicitor specialising in planning issues including planning inquiries, determination of applications and enforcement work, skills that have proved useful to both Parish Council and Conservancy. I feel that my time is a worthwhile contribution to the community of West Wittering.

Mr Hemal Patel

Councillor

Hemal Patel was co-opted to the Council in March 2016.

Hemal’s association with West Wittering came from a family day out in the summer of 2006 when he discovered the local shop was up for sale. The opportunity was too good to turn down and he has remained in the village since. His family moved to West Wittering from Wallington permanently in July 2009. Hemal and his wife are well known in the village as they are hands on owners of their versatile shop. They have organised several local charity events and supported community events.

His background is in sales in a number of branded companies, most recently with a well known ice cream company. He brings a wealth of commercial experience to WWPC.

Hemal’s aspiration is to see West Wittering retain its individuality whilst developing sustainable tourism. He would like to see cycling and walking facilities enhanced without drastically changing the appearance of the village.

Working Party membership:for 2018/19  IT/Communications,/Website,  

Mr Steve Debeger

Councillor

I am married to Marion and we have a son and daughter, and three lovely grandchildren.

My introduction to West Wittering was many years ago as a boy when I regularly came down with my family to spend a day on the beach, an event that became the annual pilgrimage for the wider and extended family

Marion and I loved the area so much we bought a holiday home on Redlands Park where we spent 18 wonderful years and where our children grew up.

We moved down in 2005 from our previous home in Middlesex and both our son and daughter live close by in the village.

My interest in joining the Parish Council is to help ensure that the lovely surroundings in which we are fortunate to live remain as it is and not spoilt by inconsiderate development. The wishes of the local community should be the priority consideration in any representations by the Parish council.

Mrs Lesley Handford

Councillor

My family and I have lived in West Wittering for over forty years. Our three children attended local schools.

My professional background is mostly educational. I lectured in maths and psychology to students at both Leeds and Roehampton universities. I taught in London, Yorkshire and Hampshire schools. I was a headteacher first in Southampton and then in Portsmouth. I was also seconded as an inspector for special educational needs. On my retirement I set up a consultancy and was employed as an Ofsted inspector, an expert witness for the Special Needs Tribunal Service and as a lead trainer for the National College of School Leadership. While a headteacher, I trained as a counsellor and a bereavement counsellor.

My voluntary work has included being a magistrate, a governor of Chichester High School, a committee member of City of Chichester NADFAS (now the Arts Society), as well as being an active member of West Wittering Players. At the moment I am Chair of Governors at West Wittering Primary School.

As a child I spent many happy hours sailing around the harbour during holidays, and now feel very fortunate to be living here. I am aware that life does not stand still but, as a parish councillor, I am committed to ensuring West Wittering continues to be as rural as it is now.