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I've lived in Elmbridge for over 50 years, in Claygate, Cobham, Stoke D'Abernon and Molesey and for the last 18 years in Walton. I've represented Walton South ward as a Conservative Member since May 2006 and became Cabinet Member with responsibility for Corporate Development in May 2008.

My schools were Lovelace Infants School, Chessington, St. Andrews Infant School, Hogshill Lane, and Primary School, Cedar Road, Cobham and Surbition High School for Girls. After school I started work in the Executor and Trustee Department of Lloyd's Bank and in 1984 joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which became the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in 2001. From 2003, until I took early retirement in 2007, I worked as a Senior Policy Adviser in Animal Health.

I'm married to Chris, Ward Councillor for Walton Ambleside. I have two grown up children and two grandchildren.

I represent the Council in respect of Elmbridge Housing Trust as a Board member, as a Trustee to Walton Charity and Mediation North Surrey which works to offer a free mediation service to try and resolve amicably neighborhood disputes.

All the Walton Conservative Councillors work closely together. Local matters affect us jointly and so we have decided to hold joint monthly surgeries at the Walton Library on the first Saturday of every month from 10am - midday.

Despite the statistics of Surrey being one of the safest counties, the fear of often low level crime is great for many older and more vulnerable citizens. One of issues had been trying to find out why many of our street lights fail to work. I have one case where the light has been out of action now for over a year. I have been taking this up with Surrey County Council and they with EDF.

I maintain close links with the Walton South Neigbourhood Police team and attend Police Panel meetings, which are advertised locally in the press and through email. If you would like to join my mailing list for regular bulletins and updates please email me at celmer@elmbridge.gov.uk.

This year a lot of complaints were received about failure to cut grass verges and overgrown brambles on highways. Potholes are another annoyance and roads which fail to meet standards. In South ward we had some success in lobbying SCC for our share of funding.

Correspondence about parking issues has been high and I am looking forward to the next stage of the public consultation on whether to have a Controlled Parking Zone to alleviate the problems we have in Hersham Road, Sidney and Rydens Roads and the town centre.

I receive a lot of casework relating to planning issues particularly where people perceive overdevelopment and infilling is threatening our quality of life. I'm concerned too about the possibility of encroachment onto the green belt.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch on any matter relating to Elmbridge Borough Council, I'm happy to discuss and assist where ever I can with advice or if I am not the right person, to point you in hopefully the right direction to get that advice.