I really enjoy being a ward councillor and see a large part of my role as giving residents a voice. For some, a collective voice is important and I have helped set up residents’ associations to tackle problems with housing or the environment, while other people want to have an individual problem or question addressed and feel that the Council has not responded adequately. As a councillor, it helps to know the right officers to involve and also to be prepared to provide the reasoning behind decisions, which may not always be popular.

Special areas of interest to me are planning and good design and public art. As a result of opening a local art exhibition I have joined the Berrylands Art Group and have fun painting once a week. Working with the Art department at Kingston College, I was also able to set up a bus stop art project across the borough which was a great motivator to students.

It is very satisfying to see so many different organizations coming together in community events, such as the royal visit to the Coronation clock tower, Alpha Road Fun Day and Surbiton Ski Sunday, all of which I helped with. To be a local councillor takes time and I am lucky to be retired, so I can still find time for my grandsons, for cooking and, occasionally, to be able to have a break in my house in Greece. Email and mobile phones are so good for being able to be contacted and I would be completely lost without modern technology.