TWO new councillors who have been co-opted onto Westbury Town Council were welcomed at a meeting held last month.
The new independent members are Julie Wright and Mark Harper who represent Westbury West. Julie has a background in teaching and has a passion for the outdoors and Mark has lived and worked in Westbury for the past 45 years.
Julie says she applied to be a councillor after joining in with a litter pick event earlier in the year. She said, “Becoming a Westbury town councillor has been a bit of a shock even to myself! To be honest, it is quite daunting, and I will have a lot to learn but I do have some time now that I have retired, and I will be very willing to learn and do my best.
“My career has been in teaching and as a humanist celebrant. We all get bogged down in our own jargon and so my aim is to make council business as easy to understand as possible. I have been impressed with the commitment and empathy from the staff and councillors that I have seen in action. I would urge the public to come along to meetings to see for themselves and to get involved with how you want Westbury to develop.
“My passion is the outdoors and what I want for the people of Westbury is a clean, attractive and healthy environment. Life is hard for many people and so finding ways to reduce outgoings, buying less, repairing and re-purposing is really important. I try to live as sustainably as I can and that will be something I would hope to promote.
“Tap dancing at the Just So dance school has been an absolute joy. It’s great physical and mental exercise and they are wonderful people. I walk with the lovely Westbury Walkers and I attend U3A meetings with interesting speakers and organised trips. I do an Italian class and I am a member of the Leighton Recreation Centre and Westbury Swimming Pool.
“What do I love about Westbury? I could name lots, but two things stand out: access and friendliness. I love that from my front door I can walk, cycle, get the bus or train to places near and far: to visit family, do practical things or just wander off down pathways or across countryside. It’s amazing!
“And I really do love the friendliness of people here. Not without exception obviously but generally the people I’ve met socially, people who’ve come to do work on the house, people in the street, the bus, the council, just warm and friendly. I very much hope that will continue and I look forward to meeting many more of you.”
Mark has long campaigned for a Westbury bypass and is keen to try and put the brakes on the controversial energy from waste incinerator from being built in town. He said, “I have witnessed many changes to Westbury and the surrounding areas over the years, some good and some not so good.
“Around 30 years ago I was active in the bypass for Westbury group and still have a great desire to see it implemented as I think it will be a great benefit to the town and people’s health, with regards to air quality and pollution. I also have a burning desire (pun intended) to halt the proposed incinerator being built, a slim chance but I don’t think it’s dead in the water just yet due to government policy on waste.
“What I love about Westbury is that within a ten-minute walk you can be in the middle of the countryside. I love the Westbury heritage, being once a mill town and its historical buildings; the recent historical exhibition at the library was fascinating. I love the fact that I’ve been able to work in Westbury where I’ve lived for 45 years. The West Wilts Trading Estate is also a huge asset to the town.”
Mark grew up around the Slough and Langley area and completed a six-year apprenticeship in mechanical engineering after leaving secondary school a few months before his 16th birthday. He has been a member of Westbury Wheelers cycling club for approximately 25 years and he is a qualified sports sub aqua diver and a keen koi keeper.
Both councillors contact details can be found on the Westbury Town Council website.
