Councillor Anne Mccaffrey

Anne is Chair of Governors at the local village school; now retired after a busy career in HR, she’s a keen gardener, walker & family historian. She is also a local councillor.

“Standing to be councillor was not part of my plan, it was the last-minute thing for me. But I really enjoy the role, & find that I can achieve a lot, & really influence decisions about services that local people rely on.

Locally since 2012, I’ve helped get our woodland playpark upgraded, our school extended, our village hall an external makeover. That’s just a flavour, there’s always more to do! When resources are being allocated & decisions being made, it’s easy for a small village like ours to be overlooked; a strong local voice can make a real difference. It’s about people too, helping to solve problems where a helping hand is needed.

Being a councillor is not like having a job. The hours you do are up to you, & there’s plenty of help & support on offer. You are in the driving seat in terms of what you do & when, so fitting the role around you & your family is easily done.

I’ve been elected twice now, & twice I’ve held a cabinet role. I think councils need a better mix of local people, if they are to truly represent the communities they serve. I think we need more women to get involved. We’re good at knowing what needs doing & getting it done. It’s in our DNA.

Think about it, seriously! You can do this. You too can be a councillor. It’s great"

Anne is a member of a Scrutiny Committee and Democratic Services Committee.