GENERAL
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Bishopstoke Parish Council is currently made up of 15 Councillors. There are 3 seats in each of the 5 wards - Itchen, Riverside, Stoke Common, Underwood and Whalesmead. A person who is eligible to be a Bishopstoke Parish Councillor can stand in any of the 5 wards, but only those people who live within the boundaries of the ward can vote on those seats.
Cllr Louise Hillier-Wheal
Chair of Bishopstoke Parish Council
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email: louise.hillier-wheal@bishopstokepc.org
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I moved to Bishopstoke in 1997 as I was teaching in a local school. I have fallen in love with the area and am honoured to have been voted onto the Parish Council.
I have two children who have been through the local pre-school and schools and been members of many of the local activity groups- Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Sunday School. I know how special Bishopstoke is - we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place with a fabulous sense of community.
I have loved Carnival since I moved here. I remember once turning up to the river floats and nobody being there - to now a fabulous event so well supported by the local school - meaning we get so many children and parents there. I have walked the Carnival route many years running with children dressed as pirates, elephants, fish and dalmatians - to name just a few!
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I keep fit by running the streets of Bishopstoke- slowly but steadily- and once set myself the challenge of running every street in the area. I need to do this again soon to cover the roads that have been built since - please say Hi if you see me plodding by.
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I want to keep Bishopstoke special and will do all I am able to to retain the unique character of our village.
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Louise is a member of the Glebe Meadow Working Group, the Communications Working Group and the Carnival Working Group, and is the Council's representative to the Bishopstoke Community Association.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Finance Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Assets Committee - 0 meetings out of 1 attended
Planning Committee - 0 meetings out of 1 attended
UNDERWOOD WARD
RIVERSIDE WARD
Andrew was one of the newly elected Parish Councillors from the 2016 elections and was re-elected in 2021. He can often be seen walking round the Parish looking for ways it can be improved. He has a particular interest in litter and housing association issues.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Planning Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
ITCHEN WARD
Cllr Mike Thornton
Vice Chair of the Finance Committee
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email: mike.thornton@bishopstokepc.org
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Mike is married with one daughter who is studying medicine at Imperial college and due to qualify in April 2018. His wife works with at Stoke Park infants with children who have speech and language difficulties.
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The family has lived in Bishopstoke since 1994 after moving from Winchester. He loves the area and on moving here he and has family were struck with how friendly everyone was and how kind his new neighbours were.
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He is Chair of the 12th Eastleigh (Bishopstoke) Scouts, a trustee for both the AWCA and Wyvern College, volunteers with both Bishopstoke & Fair Oak Good Neighbours and One Community, and is a Street Pastor.
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In addition to the responsibilities listed above, Mike is also the Council's liaison to the Greening Campaign.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Finance Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Peter was elected to Bishopstoke Parish Council in 2024. He is returning to the Council after a 3 year absence. He has always been a passionate support of Carnival and has re-joined the Carnival working group.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
STOKE COMMON WARD
Cllr Ben Burcombe-Filer
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email: ben.burcombe-filer@bishopstokepc.org
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Register of Interests
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 0 meetings out of 1 attended
Finance Committee - 0 meetings out of 1 attended
Ben is newly elected to the Council in 2024.
Sid is newly elected to the Council in 2024
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
WHALESMEAD WARD
Anne has been a Parish Councillor ever since it was formed in 1996, and was honoured to serve as Chair for many years. She has served also on the Finance & General Purposes Committee and more recently on the Buildings Committee, as she has a special interest in the Memorial Hall rebuilding project. She was also responsible for the production of the Parish Newsletter for may years.
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In addition she has been the Parish representative for local charities, and represents the Parish at the Eastleigh District Association of Local Councils. She is also a member of the Bishopstoke Community Association.
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Anne has also been a Borough Councillor and believes in being involved with her community. She has lived in Bishopstoke for more than 20 years and thinks the village has an enviable position being so close to Eastleigh and the easy access from there to many other places, and also such easy access to a variety of countryside with the woods, trees and meadows.
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Anne is on the Communications Working Group, the Glebe Meadow Working Group and the Carnival Working Group. Anne is also the Parish Council representative for local parochial charities (Twynams) and is the deputy representative to the Airport Consultative Committee.
Cllr Geoff Harris
Vice Chair of the Council
Vice Chair of the Assets Committee
email: geoff.harris@bishopstokepc.org
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"I was born in west London and educated through state school until the age of 16. I joined PO Telephones in 1972, moving to Ericssons and Vodafone through my career. I partially retired in 2016 and am now retired. I have a part time job driving for a private school.
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I have many hobbies but the Bluebell Railway has been my longest with over 25 years of volunteering. I hold the rank of assistant engineer which includes a design role. I enjoy repurposing waste into a re-usable product, making external structures from pallets - from small breather pipe covers to planters to sheds using pallets and waste wood. I occasionally write short stories and enjoy watching Grand Prix's and holidays aboard cruise ships.
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I have a desire to not see Bishopstoke swallowed up into the big metropolis, to push for improvements to the facilities available to the residents, to listen and assist where I can, but not make false promises."
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Geoff is a member of the Carnival Working Group, the Glebe Meadow Working Group and is the main representative to the Airport Consultative Committee.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Assets Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
People Committee
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DISPENSATIONS
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Councillors are not normally permitted to take part in discussions or votes where the matter being discussed would impact them financially. Occasionally it is desirable, or even essential, that Councillors is this position be permitted to take part in the debate and vote anyway. Councillors can apply for a dispensation to allow them to take part in proceedings and the Council will vote to either allow the dispensation or not.
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It is standard practice for Parish Councillors to be granted a dispensation to allow them to talk about Council Tax and the precept. Although Councillors are usually directly affected by the Council Tax decision, the Council still has to agree a budget and precept as otherwise it would cease to exist.
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Additionally, Bishopstoke Parish Council voted in its meeting on July 11th 2023 to grant dispensations to any Councillor with an allotment in Bishopstoke to take part in the debate and vote on any allotment related matter with the exception of setting allotment rents.
Andy was elected to the Parish Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2021 as an independent Councillor.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Planning Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
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Des was elected to Bishopstoke Parish Council in 2024.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Planning Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
"Hi. I'm Mark. I've lived in Bishopstoke for most of the last 10 years and in Eastleigh for the 5 years before that.
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I'm the manager of the Eastleigh branch of MHA Communities and as such get to work with older people in the Eastleigh Borough (and Romsey) to reduce isolation and loneliness as well as helping them to remain an active part of their community.
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I live on Guest Road with my wife, Sarah, my sone Grayson and our kitten Diesel.
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This is my first time holding any political office and I'm proud to be able to serve my community in this role.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Assets Committee - 0 meetings out of 1 attended
Cllr Trevor Mignot
Chair of the Planning Committee
Chair of the Assets Committee
email: trevor.mignot@bishopstokepc.org
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Register of Interests
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Finance Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Assets Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Planning Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Trevor was elected to Bishopstoke Parish Council in 2024. He is returning to the Council after a 3 year absence. In addition to the responsibilities listed above Trevor is also on the Glebe Meadow working group and is the Council's representative on the Passenger Transport Forum and for the Neighbourhood Plan.
Vacancy
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email:
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Register of Interests
To apply to fill this vacancy on the Parish Council please contact the Clerk, David Wheal, on 07368 487464 or by emailing Clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
More information is available here.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council
Cllr Anne Winstanley
Chair of the Finance Committee
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email: anne.winstanley@bishopstokepc.org
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Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Finance Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
Assets Committee - 1 meeting out of 1 attended
People Committee
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Vacancy
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email:
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Register of Interests
To apply to fill this vacancy on the Parish Council please contact the Clerk, David Wheal, on 07368 487464 or by emailing Clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
More information is available here.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council
Vacancy
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email:
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Register of Interests
To apply to fill this vacancy on the Parish Council please contact the Clerk, David Wheal, on 07368 487464 or by emailing Clerk@bishopstokepc.org.
More information is available here.
Committee membership and attendance (2024-25)
Full Council
COUNCILLORS