Who are the Community Stakeholder Forum?
Chair of the Forum - Angela Dixon
Angela studied music at London University and then worked in market research for the car industry for two years. Realising cars were of no interest to her, she sought a job in classical music. From 1993 she worked in orchestral touring and in 1999 started working at the Barbican Centre in London, as classical music programmer. She programmed many concerts and festivals and in 2007 her festival 'Traced Overhead: the music of Thomas Adès' won a South Bank Show award. In 2011 Angela became Head of Music at the Barbican, leading the music department's contribution to the London 2021 cultural Olympiad.
In April 2014 she became Chief Executive of Saffron Hall, the 740 seat concert hall based at Saffron Walden County High School, and won the Association of British Orchestras/Rheingold Concert Hall Manager of the year in 2016. Angela is a trustee of YCAT, the Young Classical Artists Trust, a trustee of the Royal Philharmonic Society and a board member of the British Association of Concert Halls. Since 2008 Angela has worked for Thomas Adès, one of the UK's foremost composers.
Health and wellbeing - Marc Davis/Clare Morris
Clare is Chief Executive of RETHINK Partners, an innovation and transformation consultancy working in health and social care in the Eastern region, South East and London.
Clare worked for 12 years at a senior level in the NHS in Essex, including 5 years as Chief Executive of West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group. She has a particular interest in how technology and communities can come together to improve health and is passionate about collaboration - within and between sectors - and how citizens can be an active part of this work. She is experienced and knowledgeable about health infrastructure / planning, NHS governance, healthy communities and digital health and care.
Clare has previously sat on the Board of Uttlesford CVS and chaired the Uttlesford Health and Wellbeing Board. She lives in Uttlesford with her 3 sons and is proud to be Essex born and bred.
Youth clubs - Martin Solder
Martin has been the County Director at Essex Boys and Girls Clubs (EBGC) for the last 30+ years. EBGC has had a long history of working with Uttlesford groups, whether that be setting up and supporting youth groups such as Sampfords Youth Club (YC), Chesterford YC or supporting long established groups such as Thaxted YC to raise the funds to rebuild their club building.
Over the years EBGC has supported countless numbers of young people from Uttlesford with its programmes of events, training and international work with many young people from the area completing Tallships experiences in the Caribbean and a number trekking in Nepal in the Himalayas. EBGC has also supported Uttlesford schools with its long established respect programme. It aims to re-engage vulnerable young people back into the school system and has recently worked with Uttlesford District Council in delivering the Holiday Hunger programme.
Staff from EBGC were instrumental in setting up Uttlesford DC Youth Initiative Working Group with Gaynor Bradley and Stuart Izzard and have supported this group for the entire time that it has been in existence providing the Vice Chair and still having representation on it today. EBGC has had a strong and long relationship with the Uttlesford community and with a range of Uttlesford District Council officers.
Arts and culture - Tim Atkinson *
Local resident and Founder and Managing Director of Fairycroft House CIC, based in Saffron Walden.
Cycling/walking - Stuart Walker *
A local resident and keen walker, Stuart also devised the Millennium walks around Broxted with Chickney, Tilty and Great and Little Easton.
Diversity - Samantha Naik
Samantha is a Parish Councillor in Newport, Essex, and has worked with the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She has lived in Uttlesford for almost a decade, and is from London.
Uttlesford is beautiful. The COVID-19 pandemic is a devastating challenge, but (looking for a silver-lining) Samantha feels that it showed that our community is full of kind, caring people - and that gives her hope.
Samantha hopes many people respond to the consultation, so that Uttlesford can be a beautiful place to live for all. Whether you are young, old, disabled, female, male, ethnic minorities and any other groups, please respond. Planning issues such as lack of affordable housing, lack of good affordable public transport links including school buses, and lack of recreational open spaces affect everyone, but especially affect poorer people, young, old, disabled, minorities, single parents and other disadvantaged groups. Often, those affected are key workers who do so much for our communities.
We all need the same things really: safe decent places to live, and a chance to live fulfilling lives. How can we use our Local Plan to create good inclusive communities, where everyone enjoys good health, fulfilment, and less stress? The Climate Emergency deserves our attention too - we are custodians of this planet for future generations, and so it would be nice to think long-term.
Climate change - Edward Gildea
Edward used to be an English teacher, headteacher and education consultant, mostly prior to moving to Saffron Walden in 2013.
In 2014 and 2017-18 he sailed around the world in two 'Clipper Round the World' yacht races. These gave him such an intense connection to the planet, and a sense of how very small and delicate it is despite feeling vast and frightening most of the time. His generally conscientious, environmental awareness has since turned into more urgent Green activism.
Edward now spends most of his time campaigning, researching and writing so that when he dies he can tell his grandchildren, "Sorry kids, but I did my best!"
Education - Matt Blayney *
Deputy Headteacher at Saffron Walden County High School.
Faith - John Goddard
Originally from the Derbyshire High Peak, and having previously spent 11 years living and working in Cumbria, John moved to the area 7 years ago to become the Minister of Saffron Walden Baptist Church. His wife works locally as an office manager, and his now adult sons have both just completed University, having been students previously at Saffron Walden County High School. John has a longstanding involvement in inter-church and inter-faith matters, and looks forward to trying to represent the interests of Faith communities in the Forum.
Heritage - Frank Woods
After retiring from a career in science, Frank moved from Harlow to the village of Clavering 3 years ago to enjoy its vibrant community with many interest groups. He is still a Trustee of a group of schools in Harlow but now also embedded in Clavering Bowls Club and the local History Group which nominated him to represent the heritage interest area. Frank is an active member of the Hands off Clavering group which campaign against urbanisation of the rural village. He is becoming increasingly familiar with local planning processes and the importance of preserving heritage buildings and landscapes for future generations to appreciate.
Economy and employment - Janet Drysdale
Since 2012 Janet has been the independent chair of the Uttlesford Futures (Strategic Partnership) sub-group for Employment, Economy, Skills, Environment and Transport.
Rural affairs - Richard Haynes
Richard Haynes is the representative for CPRE - The Countryside Charity in Uttlesford.
He has a degree from Reading University in Estate Management and was formerly a Chartered Surveyor. During his working career he specialised to a large extent in valuation and development viability, advising principally central and local government. Clients included the Ministry of Defence; DEFRA; and English Heritage. He often appeared as an expert witness in planning inquiries. He was also a non-exec on the former National Learning and Skills Council.
He was the principal author of the Thaxted Neighbourhood Plan and, in a completely unrelated role, is Chairman of the Hertfordshire Fine Wine Society.
Development industry - Colin Bradley
Colin Bradley is a retired Chartered Surveyor and Project Manager with experience both as a member of development teams, and more latterly as a property director for a number of local authorities. Consequently he has worked both sides of the 'great divide', as a development / regeneration manager, client, and as part of the overarching local authority compliance framework. Previous roles also include membership of the East of England Regional Assembly (now discontinued) Planning, Housing and Environmental Panels. Current roles include membership of a number of charitable organisations supporting our community in the Dunmow area.
Business - James Garrett *
Committee member of Stansted Business Forum, and Director of local video production and training company HNE Media Services Ltd.
Retail - Nikki Anthony/ Carole Sansom
Nikki has had her business in Great Dunmow for the last 16 years and has been part of the Great Dunmow Town Team since the start in 2012, and was Chair for 3 of those years. She has lived in Gt Easton for the last 32 years, so has a good knowledge of the local area. Nikki has three grown up children and two grandchildren.
Sports - Jackie Coleman *
School Games Organiser, Uttlesford School Sports Partnership.
Tenants' Panel - Simon Trimnell/ Martin Harvey
Simon has lived in Saffron Walden all his life and his family have lived in the town for generations. He is Vice Chairman of Uttlesford Tenant Panel and has been the Council candidate at 19 elections for the Labour Party in the district.
Simon is interested in issues around housing and disabled people. He is married with 3 children, and his oldest son has cerebral palsy.
Transport - Anthony Armon-Jones
Anthony and his wife have lived in central Saffron Walden for well over 30 years. Their two children presently live away from the town.
Anthony's entire career was spent in the law from which he has retired.
Having spent much of his time on private and public transport Anthony was well versed in problems concerning it and during his retirement he has represented transport users in focus groups with the District Council, has chaired the customer panel for the West Anglia line and is a member of the Airport Consultative Committee.
Anthony's concerns relate to the whole nature of movement in public space, not any particular form of transport.
Voluntary sector - Alison Wilson *
CEO, Mind in West Essex.
Youth Council - Eleanor Game
Eleanor is 17 years old and has lived in Saffron Walden her entire life. She is a member of the Uttlesford Youth Council and Chair of the Youth Local Plan Working Group.
* Bio written by Uttlesford District Council