Central Beds Council elects new chairman

A NEW chairman has been elected to Central Bedfordshire Council.

Councillor Angela Barker is the new chairman following a vote at the council’s annual meeting on Thursday (April 19).

The new vice chairman is Councillor Caroline Maudlin.

Mrs Barker takes over the position from Councillor Peter Hollick, who has been chairman for the past two years, supported by deputy chairman Councillor Ruth Gammons.

Mr Hollick was thanked for raising around £10,000 during his time as chairman, which is available through the chairman’s grant fund to help individuals and small community groups in the area.

Mrs Barker will act as an ambassador for the council, representing the authority on civic visits, at ceremonial events, as well as raising funds and awareness for her chosen charity, the East Anglian Air Ambulance Charity.

Mrs Barker said: “I am absolutely thrilled to become the first female chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council.

“It is a special honour to represent the council and the people of Central Bedfordshire in this unique year, with two once in a lifetime events taking place – the Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.

“In the year ahead my ambition is to go out and meet residents and visit lots of the organisations and businesses who together make Central Bedfordshire such a great place to live and work in.

Mrs Barker has been a ward councillor for Haynes and Houghton Conquest and surrounding villages since 2007, serving two years on the former Mid Bedfordshire Council, before becoming a Central Bedfordshire Councillor in 2009.

She was elected unopposed in 2011 and since then she has been deputy executive member for children’s services.

Having grown up in Cheshire, she moved to Bedfordshire more than 25 years ago. She is married to a Bedfordshire man and has three children.

Mrs Maudlin, who represents Sandy and who has been a councillor for three years said: “It is wonderful to be elected as vice chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council and I am looking forward to working with Councillor Barker and supporting her in her role as chairman.

“It will be great to work together during what promises to be a remarkable year.”