Wokingham

After many years of dedicated service to the local community, Cllr Angus Ross has been elected as the new chairman of Wokingham District Council.

Cllr Ross, who first joined Wokingham district council in 1990, took over as the new civic head of the council when out-going chairman Cllr Iain Brown handed over the chain of office at the annual meeting of the council last night (May 18). Cllr Ross also announced that his chosen charity for his year in office is the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance.

The chairman of Wokingham council, who is the equivalent of a mayor in a borough council, is the official ‘first citizen’ of the district and has a civic role, representing the council and the people of the district, as well presiding over district council meetings. Unless Her Majesty the Queen or her representative is in attendance, the chairman takes precedence over any other dignitaries attending events.

Cllr Ross has already had first hand experience of the chairman’s role as he served a term as vice-chairman of the council under Cllr Iain Brown last year.

Delighted with his appointment, Wokingham Cllr Ross said: “I am looking forward to my term in office as it will give me the opportunity to meet many people throughout the Wokingham district who do so much good work for the local community. I feel that it is a great honour to be chosen as the chairman and I look forward to this challenging role and a very busy year representing our council. I would like to record the very successful year that Cllr Iain Brown has had, attending 335 functions during his year in office.”

Cllr Ross was first elected to the district council for the Wokingham Without ward on a wet and windy January day in 1990 and has been re-elected seven times since then. He has served on a number of committees and most recently as chairman of the development control committee. Outside of work and politics, he has been an active sportsman and is still keen to get out on the golf course. He has been involved in the running of many sports clubs including Bracknell Hockey Club and for the past 18 years he has been involved with the Wokingham District Sports Council, spending four years as its chairman.

Born in Harrow, Cllr Ross joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1958 and became a pilot on Canberra squadrons in Singapore and Germany as well as teaching many students to fly. After the RAF, Cllr Ross worked in property and facilities management, including 10 years running a subsidiary for a Japanese corporation, before becoming a part-time consultant. He is currently the ceremonial Beadle to the Alderman of Bread Street ward in the City of London and is the treasurer of the ward’s club. He is also the treasurer of Wokingham Job Support Centre.

Wokingham Cllr Ross’ chosen charity the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust is a charity funded by the businesses and people of the Thames Valley. The air ambulance started operating in June 1999 and is based at White Waltham near Maidenhead. The yellow Bolkow 105 helicopter carries life saving equipment and is crewed by a pilot and two paramedics. It can transport one patient to one of several hospitals in the area with landing facilities, or to a specialist hospital if required. The paramedics are provided by the NHS but all other costs are funded by the Trust.

Cllr Ross said: “The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust is a very worthwhile service and I am delighted to announce it as my chosen charity for the coming civic year. The air ambulance provides a life saving service for the Thames Valley including the Wokingham district.

“The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust is aiming to raise sufficient funds to be able to lease a newer, larger helicopter, the Eurocopter EC135, which can transport two patients or a patient and a relative. I hope that during my term in office we will raise much-needed funds and provide further awareness of the air ambulance.”

Another well-known councillor - Annette Drake - has been appointed as the new vice-chairman to support Cllr Ross during his time in office. She was appointed to Wokingham District Council as member for Hurst in 1983 where she has served ever since.

Born in London and educated at a boarding school in Kent, Cllr Drake trained as a nurse at one of the London teaching hospitals. She then joined British Airways as an air stewardess and met and married a pilot. Her two sons both attended the village school in Hurst, subsequently attending Reading School and Bearwood College respectively.

Returning to work in the 1980s, Cllr Drake joined a pharmaceutical company as a medical representative, followed by a marketing role before being head hunted by Smith & Nephew where she became a sales manager of the radiological division.

Experienced in planning, Cllr Drake has been chairman of Wokingham council’s planning and transportation and development control committees and in 2005 became chairman of the health select committee and the corporate parenting panel. Earlier this year, she was appointed as an English Heritage champion for heritage – an exciting new challenge, which she is looking forward to.

Wokingham Cllr Drake said: “I enjoy representing my local residents on the council. I am one of four people who formed Hurst Village Society in 1973, which still flourishes today. The aim of the society is to preserve the ambiance of Hurst which is constantly under threat of development of wall to wall executive homes; we do not oppose development, but want to see good design which enhances the street scene.”

For more information on the role of the chairman or to invite Cllr Ross or Cllr Drake to attend an event contact the chairman’s secretary Sonia Lawlor on (0118) 974 6004.

Wokingham District Council