Sarratt Parish Council Online
Serving the Parish of Sarratt
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At a Glance: How your money was spent last year
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(Figures are percentages of the total)
All data taken from the 2020 Parish Report
About Us
Sarratt is in a rural area and the Parish Council own and are responsible for a number of open spaces and woodlands. These include the Green in Sarratt Village, Dawes Common in the Chilterns AONB, Commonwood and Penmans Green.
There are some 30 miles of footpaths within the Parish and these are well used by local people and many visitors.
About Sarratt
Sarratt is an historic village which sits in an area of outstanding natural beauty surrounded by fields which roll down to the enchanting Chess Valley riverbed.
Loved by residents and visitors alike for its stunning landscape and fantastic walking, Sarratt possesses some 30 miles of footpaths, cycling and horse riding. To many people, the name represents just the village area around the Green, however the modern Civil Parish is much larger and can be seen on the map, it includes not only the hamlets of Belsize, Bucks Hill, Commonwood and Chandlers Cross but also The Grove away to the east.
Sarratt benefits from a Community Shop, Post Office, Primary School, Church, Doctors and various welcoming Public houses.
Extracts from the village website. You can find out more here
Meet The Council
Sarah Dobson, Chair
Sarah moved to Sarratt in 2001 having grown up in Ruislip. She has been a member of the Parish Council since 2016, taking on the role of Vice Chair in 2018, and became Chair in May 2019. Sarah is married to John Gill, who is Treasurer of the Sarratt Horticultural Society. They have two sons, Oliver and Samuel, who both attend St Clement Danes School, plus two labradors. Sarah has worked at BP since 1987, and in 2010 moved from working full time to part time. When not working, Sarah runs the Sarratt Cub Pack and is an assistant leader with Sarratt Explorer Scouts. Sarah is also a member of the Sarratt Youth Group steering team. She has previously been involved in other initiatives in the Village including development of the 2012 Parish Plan, the Sarratt Village Day and served on the KGV Committee for 3 years. As SPC Chair, Sarah’s goal is for the Parish Council to continue preserving the things so many members of the community love about Sarratt, as well as supporting the future development of the Parish in a way which protects what residents and visitors to the area treasure, whilst enabling it to continue to grow and thrive.
John Rugg, Vice Chair
We have lived in the parish of Sarratt for over 20 years and I have held various roles as a Parish Councillor both in Sarratt and previously in Cheshire.
Having recently relinquished my role as a Trustee of an International Conservation Charity I continue to maintain a keen interest in the protection of the environment on land and sea.
Prior to retirement I had a long career in British industry, most of it spent with ICI Plc, gaining business experience in sales, marketing, export logistics, trading, and process management. After retiring from I sat on the Board of two Not For Profit organisations and was a committee member of the British Horse Society and a local Sailing Association. My main interest remains sailing and I skipper my boat in both the UK and northern European waters. I retain an interest in and enjoy being further educated on the history, architecture and art of the UK and Europe.
Caroline Owen, Clerk
Anthony Soothill, Lead for Planning
Anthony lives in Sarratt with his wife Kate and son Tom and has been a member of the Parish Council since 2007. He retired from full-time employment in 2017 and now has a portfolio career, including: Chair of the O2 Pension Trustee; Chair of the Board of Trustees of Demand, a charity for the disabled that removes barriers to inclusion, participation and independence; an executive coach for blue chip companies; and a Director of Sarratt Village CIC, the community-owned company that runs our village shop.John has been on the Parish Council since 1987 and a past Chairman on 4 occasions. He is a retired farmer and is currently lead member for Highways.
Peter Thorp, Lead for Policy and Resources
I have lived in Sarratt since 2015 having spent more than 30 years in Croxley Green. I married Yvonne in March 2017 and between us we have five children in their twenties and thirties. My professional background includes Physical Education teaching (three secondary schools in Watford), twenty years in financial services and director of a management development company specialising in coaching, mentoring and leadership training. I am now semi retired and enjoy a small amount of consultancy work together with a number of voluntary roles. I particularly enjoy working with young people and hope I can make a difference in this area. Sarratt is a wonderful place to live with so much potential for people of all ages.
Coral Bloom, Lead for Sustainability
I moved to Sarratt in 2015 after living in Chorleywood for 15 years. I am married to Stuart, a Doctor and have a son Oliver, also a Doctor and a daughter Izzy who is a secondary school teacher. After returning from a spell in Australia I attended Rickmansworth Grammar and Amersham College before studying studying Ceramics at the Central School of Art. I taught ceramics and art at West Herts College (Callowlands) and Berkhamsted Boys & Girls Schools before moving to the Wirral in Cheshire where I focused on my own work exhibiting mostly in London and Oxford. My great passion is for my dressage horses. I represented East of England this year and have competed at the British Dressage Nationals. I love to sing, garden, walking and riding with my family through our stunning countryside.
Nick Mortimer, Lead for Environment
Nick joined the Metropolitan Police in 1975 finally leaving in 2016, during that time he was engaged in uniform duties as well as surveillance and protection roles. He moved to Sarratt in 2010 and joined the council as Lead for Environment from 2014 to 2019. He rejoined the council in 2020 and is Lead for Environment again, he also runs the Litter Picking group and coordinates Rural Watch in the area. As well as SPC he also helps out with Sunrise and Sunset Club when they require an extra pair of hands.
Simon Diggins, Lead for Highways
Dave Rees, Planning
I moved to Sarratt in 1968 into a house I built in Church Lane My family consisted of my wife and I and Gary 11 and Glyn 7. I soon got involved in in Sarratt firstly with the FC and was soon appointed manager of the first team At this time the playing field only had a wood hut with no water or electric The playing field trustees had all disappeared. A few of us reformed the managing trustees to try to improve the facilities. We raised money from functions grants and from the developers of The Briars who had used our access road with no payment until we pressed them. We got a planning consent to build a new pavilion and as we had sufficient funds built it I became chair of the trustees for many years in which we raised funds to install 2 tennis courts, children’s play equipment . We extended the pavilion to form an indoor bowls club I was voted on to the PC and soon became chair of the Council. I had a very hectic 2 yrs in the chair and now am happy to be chair of planning helping parishioners with planning problems and also being the Councils Trustee on Days Charity a great asset to the village
I am now the oldest councillor at 84 and hope to carry on as long as possible
John Gell, Highways
John has been on the Parish Council since 1987 and a past Chairman on 4 occasions. He is a retired farmer and is currently lead member for Highways.