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ChALC Executive Board

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ChALC Executive Board

The ChALC Board is made up of:

  • Twelve individuals nominated by Local Councils (with no more than six nominations from any Principal Authority Area), voted for by representatives attending the Annual Meeting and elected to serve a four year term;
  • A Chairman and a Deputy Chairman from above;
  • A President and up to three Vice-Presidents nominated by the Executive Board and confirmed by the Annual Meeting;
  • One representative appointed by each Partner Organisations including (but not exclusively) Cheshire West and Chester Council; Cheshire East Council, Cheshire Community Action and the Society of Local Council Clerks.

Each year 1/4 of the Board retires and the Annual Meeting votes for their preferred candidates. There is no barrier to an outgoing member standing for a further term of office (4 years). The membership is notified annually of who is standing down and who has been nominated.

Pen Portraits of most Board Members can be found below. We are currently awaiting details from co-opted Board members: -

  • Jason Moorcroft
  • Hannah Moss
  • Peter Wilkinson
  • Cathy Murray 

so they can also be added.

Our Current Board Members
Frank Walton
Frank Walton – ChALC Vice President

I became involved in Local Government when I was appointed Clerk to Cranage Parish in 1954 (at a Salary of £12 per year) a position I held for 54 years. During that time I was also Clerk to 3 other Parish Councils. I also helped out at other P C s when needed.

I was elected to Congleton R.D.C. in 1970 and under re-organisation in 1974 I became the first Mayor of the new Congleton Borough Council. In 1981 I was elected to Cheshire County Council but did not seek re-election in 1989.

I joined the Association at the same time that Jackie was appointed Chief Officer (or whatever the position was called in those days) becoming a Vice President a few years ago. Ill health has prevented me from attending meetings during the last 12 months but I still take an interest in what is going on.

Lesley Smetham Full
Cllr Lesley Smetham – ChALC Vice President
Cheshire East Council

My husband, David and I lived in Bedfordshire, moved to Belgium for four years, then back to Bedfordshire, before coming to Cheshire in 1985 with my husband's work.

I became a Gawsworth Parish Councillor in 1999 and then a Cheshire East Councillor in the shadow year following boundary changes in 2008. Former Mayor 2018-2019, Cheshire East Borough Council; Vice-President, ChALC (Cheshire Association of Local Councils); Vice-President, CCA (Cheshire Community Action); Former Director, Orbitas Bereavment Service; Director, Macclesfield Sillk Heritage Trust

Terry O'Neill
Cllr Terry O'Neill – ChALC Chair
Helsby Parish Council

Professional engineer who worked in the Electricity Supply Industry for 36 years both in the U.K. at Fiddler's Ferry and Yallourn, Australia. Part of the team who were awarded the ROSPA Sir George Earle trophy. New Connection Business Manager – £57m budget, 120 staff ROSPA Gold Award winners (East Midlands Electricity). Parish Councillor for 20 years, Chairman 4 times. Chairman of Village Plan and Neighbourhood Plan Group. Ex footballer and rugby player who has been involved with Helsby Community Club from 1965 – originally as a player and now as Chairman. Instrumental and successful in attempts to get a new club built in 2020 (Frodsham Forward). School Governor at Helsby High School and Hillside Primary School. Executive member of ChALC, former Finance Chair and Vice Chair and ChALC Chair since 2021.

John Cornell
Cllr John Cornell
Weston & Basford Parish Council

Key Skills – Planning and the Environment, thorough working knowledge of Local Government at every level, people management, interpersonal and communication skills.

Steve Jones
Cllr Stephen Jones
Plumley with Toft and Bexton Parish Council

Steve Jones, Councillor at Plumley with Toft and Bexton Parish Council. Has led on road safety, speed limits and Pilot scheme for Average Speed Cameras. Former Chief Executive of large Unitary Councils and portfolio career in property development, Health, Management Consulting and Mentoring. Chairman of a Charity which supports people with physical and learning disabilities and Non-Executive Director of companies providing business and IT services to rapidly growing organisations.

David Rowlands
Cllr David Rowlands – Chair of Finance Committee
Mickle Trafford Parish Council

I am a long standing Board member and chair the Finance Committee.
I am a Mickle Trafford Parish Councillor and a former Chester City and Cheshire County Councillor.
I farm in partnership with my wife and son, and am an active member of several Rural interest groups.
I am a School Governor, and a Trustee of the Oldfield Educational Trust.

Charles Fifield
Cllr Charles Fifield
Acton Bridge Parish Council

A Chartered Surveyor based in Northwich, member of Acton Bridge Parish Council since 2015 and also served on Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council from 2011-23 representing Weaver & Cuddington Ward. Charles has FSH Muscular Dystrophy and is an ambulant wheelchair user.

Mark Hill
Cllr Mark Hill
Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths Parish Council

I have had a long career in Aviation and Defence sectors as a Director, Manager and Engineer before I retired. I started volunteering 30 years ago for the Youth Offending Team in Macclesfield and then the Chair for one of the community panels. I'm currently a Parish Councillor and Vice Chair for Hulme Walfield and Somerford Booths PC, Chair of the board of Governors for a primary school in Congleton, a civilian instructor for the Air Cadets 230 squadron.

Judith Critchley
Cllr Judith Critchley
Kingsley Parish Council

I was born and lived most of my life in Cheshire. I joined Kingsley Parish Council in March 2018 and have continued to serve as Chair since May 2018. I was also a Member of Frodsham Town Council from Jan 2016 to June 2021 and returned to FTC in May 2023.

I am a retired Civil Servant, my later years working in London. I took early retirement and settled in Norfolk, returning to Cheshire in 2011 following the death of my partner. My career has allowed me to develop a wide range of skills that I put to good use in my council work. I started off in payroll, finance and business analysis. In later years I worked on health and safety legislation – primarily workplace regulations; fireworks and explosives legislation and carriage of dangerous goods. (Dept of Employment; Health & Safety Executive; Dept for Transport)

As a Regulator I liaised with industry, other regulators and trade unions/professional bodies; I lead the UK delegations to UNECE in Geneva and EC in Brussels on International Agreements; EU Directives and European Standards; instructed HSE/DfT Solicitors on drafting UK legislation; drafted, collated and analysed responses to UK wide consultations on new legislation; and researched, drafted and published guidance on legislation.

I was previously a CHALC Board Member 2017 – 2021.

Steve Edgar
Cllr Steven Edgar
Cheshire East Representative

Steven Edgar, Cheshire East Councillor for Haslington Ward and member of 4 local Parish Councils. I sit on the Strategic Planning Board and am Chair of the Haslington Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

Outside of local government I am a keen genealogist and allotment holder.

Mike Jones
Cllr Mike Jones
Cheshire West and Chester Representative

Mike Jones has had a successful career in the Utilities sector, holding senior roles in Manweb, Scottish Power, Transco and Skanska. With experience in developing strategy and implementing radical business and cultural change in large and complex organisations, supported by leading edge technology to deliver business performance improvements, including profitability and shareholder value. Mike is currently involved in the Telecommunications industry building optical fibre networks across the UK.

Mike was elected as a Councillor for Chester City, representing the Tattenhall Ward in 1992 and was Lord Mayor in 2005/06. Mike was elected as the representative of Tattenhall for the new council and was elected as the first leader of Cheshire West and Chester, creating the council in 2008 and won the UK's best council award in 2015. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Chartered Institute of Management and a Member of the Institute of Directors.

John Heselwood
John Heselwood
Cheshire Community Action Representative

John is a representative of Cheshire Community Action, where he has worked since 2006 and brings experience and expertise in helping communities understand their housing needs, produce neighbourhood plans, manage and develop their community buildings and he has worked on a wide range of community led initiatives, including community led housing. John is passionate about empowering communities to protect and improve the places and spaces that are important them.

Adam-Keppel-Green
Adam Keppel-Green
Society of Local Council Clerks

Adam serves on the board as the representative of the Cheshire Branch of the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC). Working in the sector since 2012, he is Town Clerk at Knutsford Town Council and Clerk to Gawsworth Parish Council and was the 2021 NALC Clerk of the Year. He also serves on the board of SLCC and is the Training Officer for the Cheshire SLCC. Adam is a Fellow member of the SLCC holding the Community Governance Foundation Degree and currently working to complete the BA.

Jackie Weaver
Jackie Weaver
Chief Officer ChALC

As head of our small dedicated team I have key responsibilities for delivering training and promoting the interests of town and parish councils within the Cheshire, Warrington and Halton area.

My key skills are providing face to face; telephone and e-mail advice and guidance to our member councils.  Key areas of support are as a professional counsellor and qualified mediator.

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