Welcome to the Christchurch Independents, a team of councillors and supporters dedicated to standing up for and being the voices of our borough.
The elections to BCP Council on Thursday May 4th are without doubt the most important in Christchurch for decades because the very future of our borough is at stake.
The current BCP Conservative administration does not care about or work in the interests of Christchurch. It cannot be trusted, makes decisions that are clearly not in Christchurch’s interest, has no transparency and accountability. And you didn’t vote for it.
It came into power because two councillors died and several others switched sides betraying all those who voted for them in 2019.
This administration is saddling all Christchurch residents with a share of hundreds of millions of pounds of debt following the takeover that no-one asked for and you opposed in a referendum.
Its Local Plan will pose a threat to the character of our community.
And please remember that all national political parties and candidates have a national agenda, even when they are standing in local elections.
As Christchurch Independents we believe only strong and independent voices free from national political party influence can stand up for Christchurch against the centralised, Bournemouth-dominated council.
We will be fielding 10 candidates to represent Christchurch, two in each ward, and fighting to give Christchurch the strongest possible representation.
Together we will be seeking your support to represent you for the next four years, standing up for you and our borough on every issue and at every turn.
And with honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability.
Your Christchurch Independent Team
Left to right: Cllr Simon McCormack (Burton & Grange Ward), Cllr Paul Hilliard (Mudeford, Stanpit & West Highcliffe Ward), Cllr Margaret Phipps (Commons Ward), Cllr Andy Martin (Highcliffe and Walkford), Cllr Lesley Dedman (Mudeford, Stanpit & West Highcliffe Ward), Cllr David Flagg (Burton & Grange Ward)
Margaret has lived in Commons Ward, West Christchurch since 1993 and is currently a BCP Councillor and Chairman of Hurn Parish Council. She runs her own small business from home. Prior to the merger she was a Christchurch Councillor and also a Dorset County Councillor. She has extensive experience and knowledge of Christchurch and the Council system, with a reputation for positive outcomes for residents. She is well known locally for fighting hard in support of residents. She is well versed in planning matters having previously held the Strategic Planning Portfolio at both Christchurch and BCP Councils. She is a lover of the “great outdoors” and can often be seen out walking her golden retriever dog. A particular interest is protecting our open spaces and green belt from development, to which end she is an active member of a Steering Group for the new BCP Local Plan.
mphipps@fillybrookfarm.co.uk
Vanessa is currently a BCP Councillor representing Commons Ward. She has lived in the Christchurch/Mudeford/Iford area for 25 years and previously worked for Christchurch Borough Council in Democratic Services. Vanessa is now a Local Government consultant with over 35 years’ experience of working in the sector. She specialises in governance and standards in public life and is a Fellow of the Society of Local Council Clerks. Vanessa is a Member of the BCP Standards Committee and is dedicated to ensure the Code of Conduct is upheld, using her experience as a former Deputy Monitoring Officer. She is passionate about open spaces and their protection for everyone to enjoy.
vanessa.ricketts@btinternet.com
Andy was elected in the by election on October 6 2022 following the sad death of Cllr Nick Geary. Andy has been a journalist since the eighties and has edited a number of papers including the Bournemouth Echo. A politics graduate from Sussex University, he has lived in Highcliffe for many years. He has two grown up sons and two granddaughters. Andy is vice chairman of Highcliffe and Walkford Parish and is a media consultant working primarily in the military sector, including NATO. He was a member of Dorset County Council representing Christchurch between 1985-2003 and is the founder and chair of the Christchurch Independents. He is the trustee of two charities, the John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation and Friends of the New Forest Airfields Association.
andypmartin911@aol.com
David, 37 was educated at Burton, Stourfield and Twynham Schools and has lived in Highcliffe for most of his life. He has spent the last 15 years in the banking sector as a branch manager and now in personal finance. He has worked with the Christchurch Independent team for the past year and is passionate about Highcliffe and Walkford. David said: “I love where I live and want to see its character preserved, open spaces protected and its challenges addressed. I have watched with great interest the work of the CIs and believe I can make a real contribution. I also believe we need some younger people on the council. I am very much looking forward to meet as many residents as possible during the campaign.”
martinf.david@yahoo.com
David has served the people of Christchurch as a Borough Councillor for 20 years together with serving the residents of Burton and Winkton on the Parish Council for a similar number of years. In 2019 he was elected to represent the residents of Burton Grange on the newly formed BCP Unitary Authority. He was elected by his fellow councillors to the Office of Chairman, which he held for two years, probably the most difficult period the BCP will have encountered due to its inauguration, and the COVID 19 pandemic. David currently sits on the Licensing Committee.
davidaflagg@hotmail.com
Simon has lived in Christchurch for over 30 years and is a BCP and CTC Ward Councillor here in Grange. He has a background in the construction industry and has a bachelor's degree in property development. After leaving school he worked for an architecture practice and later went on to work for himself freelancing in architecture and refurbishment of domestic properties. Outside of work he has a keen interest in nature and can often be found in The New Forest.
si_mccormack@hotmail.co.uk
Paul was born and bred in the area, living in Highcliffe with his wife Helen and their two boys. He had a successful career in finance and investment services, providing useful skills and experience. He is a founding Trustee of both Mudeford Wood and Somerford ARC community centres. Elected to Christchurch Borough Council in 2011 and Paul continued as a councillor For Mudeford, Friars Cliff, Stanpit and West Highcliffe in BCP Council. He is a Parent Governor at Highcliffe School, a Governor and Volunteer at University Hospitals Dorset and a member of the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Authority.
pahilliard5@gmail.com
Lesley has been working both as a volunteer and councillor to make a difference in the area for twenty years. She believes strongly in conserving our beautiful and historic Borough. She was honoured to have served as Last Mayor of the Borough of Christchurch and Mayor for the first two years of the new Christchurch Town Council. Until recently she had a care business in Friars Cliff, and found great pleasure in helping our elderly residents. She has a large family including four children and six grandchildren, and helping them and looking after her two dogs and a cat fill any spare hours.
lesleydedman@hotmail.com
Viv is a Christchurch Town Councillor and chaired the Jubilee committee. She was vice chair of the planning committee and is deputy of the Neighbourhood plan group. She is currently deputy mayor and chair of the Christchurch Carnival. She lives in Christchurch with her family, small grandson and large dog. Viv has an engineering degree and an MBA and spent all her working life in the lighting industry, including working in Scandinavia and Hungary. She wants solutions to the town’s chronic traffic congestion in the town by removing the BCP planning restrictions on new development parking, discussing alternative routes or a relief road.
viv@charrett.com
Avril has lived in the centre of Christchurch for more than 20 years and is currently the Mayor of Christchurch and Leader of the Town Council. She has been a Town Councillor since its inception in 2019, representing and campaigning for residents’ rights. In her professional life she ran a successful school uniform business in and around Dorset, later working for National Air Traffic Services at Swanwick and Hurn College of Air Traffic Control. Avril served as a magistrate for 15 years and has been a Macmillan Caring Locally volunteer for the last 12 years. She has been a committee member of the Christchurch Residents’ Association for ten years and litter picks for the Dorset Devils. Avril has always believed in the importance of giving back to the community by volunteering. Avril is also a trustee on the Christchurch and District Sports Council (CDSC) for youth.
avril.coulton@gmail.comIf you would like to support the Christchurch Independents in any way to ensure your borough continues to be heard or if you wish to raise any issue, please contact the representative in your Ward area or call Christchurch Independents chairman, Andy Martin (07809 419138) vice chairman, Cllr Simon McCormack (07500 673745)
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