Find out who will decide Celtique Energie’s planning application to drill at Fernhurst

On Thursday September 11^th, the South Downs National Park Authority planning committee will decide whether Celtique Energie should be allowed to drill at Fernhurst.

We’ve been looking into the backgrounds of the 11 committee members, starting with a summary followed by more details of the individual members.

Politics
4 Conservatives
1 Independent
6 Not declared

Home county
4 West Sussex
3 East Sussex
2 Hampshire
1 Surrey
1 Not declared

Location of homes of planning committee members of the South Downs National Park Authority

Gender
8 Men
3 Women

Membership of other local authorities
5 members of district councils:

Chichester and Horsham District Councils in West Sussex
Lewes and Wealden District Councils in East Sussex
East Hampshire District in Hampshire

5 members of parish meetings or parish councils:

Southease Parish Meeting and Ditchling Parish Council in East Sussex
Stoughton Parish Council in West Sussex
Buriton and Bramdean and Hinton Hampner Parish Councils in Hampshire

Occupations or former employment
1 Landowner
1 Barrister specialising in planning law
3 Town and/or transport planners
1 RAF pilot
1 Horologist

Planning committee members

Andrew Shaxson (Committee chair)
Self-employed farmer and landowner and Independent councillor on Chichester District Council, where is a member of the planning committee and held the environment portfolio from 2003-7.
Interests: planning, environment, walking, gardens, local history
Home: Elsted, near Midhurst, West Sussex

Neville Harrison (Committee deputy Chair)
Chairman of Southease Parish meeting and the Ouse Valley Cycle Network project. Usher at Glynebourne.
Interests: walking, opera
Home: Southease, near Lewes, East Sussex

Alun Alesbury
Senior practicing barrister, specialising in planning and local government law. Appointed to hold public enquiries, including the use of speed boats on Lake Windermere. Member of Stoughton Parish Council and chair of its planning committee.
Home: Walderton, near Chichester, West Sussex

Jennifer Gray
Conservative district councillor for Froxfield and Steep on East Hants District Council and a cabinet member with particular focus on healthy lifestyle and environment. Member of Hampshire Alliance and Rural Affordable Housing.
Interests: country pursuits, golf and tennis
Home: Rogate, West Sussex

Barbara Holyome
Vice chair of Bramdean and Hinton Ampner Parish Council, East Hampshire. Leading member of Winchester District and Hampshire Association of Local councils. Parish council representative on Winchester City Council’s Natural Environment Forum and the Alresford and District Partnership.
Home: Hinton Ampner, Alresford, Hampshire

David Jenkins
Conservative district councillor for Chanctonbury on Horsham District Council and cabinet member for strategic planning.
Interests: rural affairs, wildlife, gardening, motor sport, classic cars, Scottish history and golf.
Home: Washington, near Pulborough, West Sussex

Doug Jones
Member of Buriton Parish Council, East Hampshire. Former chartered town and transport planner for local authorities and director of the Local Government Association.

Interests: walking, photography, trustee of a small charity helping communities in rural Ghana
Home: Buriton, Hampshire

Tom Jones
Deputy leader of Lewes District Council, cabinet member for planning and Conservative councillor for Ditchling. Member of Ditchling Parish Council. Spent 36 years in the RAF, mainly flying helicopters. Ran an interior design and decorating company until 2011. Founder member of the Dave Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy. School governor of a special needs school in West Sussex.
Interests: family and relaxing in France
Home: Ditchling, East Sussex

Diana Kershaw
Local authority transport and town planner. Former head of planning at Newham Council and director of panning transport and development at Bristol City Council. Former member of boards of the South West Regional Development Authority, Business Link, a primary care trust, a theatre company, Exmoor National Park Authority and National Trust South West region. Appointed to the South Downs National Park Authority by the Environment Secretary.

Charles Peck
Conservative district councillor for East Dean on Wealden District Council and member of the council’s planning committee. Magistrate in East Sussex. Describes his employment as horology (the science of measuring time).
Home: Friston, East Sussex

Ian Phillips
Chartered landscape architect and town planner and vice president of the Landscape Institute. Representative of the Landscape Institute on national organisations, including the National Planning Forum. Chair of the Tree Advice Trust and a member of the Trees and Design Action Group. Appointed to the South Downs National Park Authority by the Secretary of State for Environment.
Home: Farnham, Surrey