Your Parish Council
Your Parish Council
Parish and Local Government
Denmead’s Parish Council currently consists of thirteen members including a Chairman and Vice-Chairman who meet at six-weekly intervals on a Wednesday at Denmead Community Centre. Except for occasional expenses parish councillors are unpaid. The four main committees also meet six weekly except the planning committee which meets every three weeks. Sub-committees and working parties supplement the work of the main council. In total there is an average of between 60 and 70 meetings each year. The parish council is usually the first point of reference for local matters from street lighting to new developments, though major decisions are made by the ‘district’ council which is the confusingly named Winchester City Council, or by Hampshire County Council.
Residents are welcome to attend at all deliberations of the council and committees (other than on those rare occasions when the public are excluded by special resolution) and can speak at the ‘public session’ during the meeting.
The village elects three members to Winchester City Council and in conjunction with neighbouring parishes, one member to Hampshire County Council.
The parish is in the Fareham and Waterlooville parliamentary constituency.
Your Parish Councillors
Cllr Chris Ranger
Chairman of Council
Chris has lived in the village since 1998 with his wife, raising a young family through Denmead schools and beyond.
When not working as an IT Consultant, you will often find him and his wife walking our 2 dogs around Denmead.
Chris enjoys travelling, motorsports, horse racing as well as good food and drink.
In his role as Parish Councillor, he hopes to support residents of the village in maintaining the community spirit of our thriving village.
Amenities, Planning, Highways & General Purposes, Finance, Admin & Personnel and Full Council.
Cllr Martin Clay
Vice-Chairman of Council
Martin has been a resident of the village since birth and is proud to call Denmead his home. He has grown up alongside the many changes the village has absorbed. Seeing those changes had led him to become a Parish Councillor in order to support continual growth and shaping of the village for current and future generations.
He has worked in a variety of different industries in his career such as entertainment, hospitality and logistic firms and is now in his 10th year working for Hampshire Country Council (HCC) on the Adult Services and Health sector. It is through working within the Health Care sector he found his calling and the many rewards that come from helping others.
Amenities, Highways & General Purposes, Finance, Admin & Personnel, Full Council and Chair of Planning.
Cllr Anthony Berry
Anthony was born in Wales and has lived in Hampshire for over 40 years, he is retired but does voluntary work for three charities and he also run Forces Charity Cards which was started over ten years ago and has received letters from the Queen and Prince Harry and members of the armed forces. They make handmade cards and also put verses into cards which are sent to use by other card makers in the UK. These cards are then sent out free of charge to our boys and girls serving our Queen and country aboard.
Anthony also does a lot of work with the elderly and disabled people in the area helping and also advising on health and safety issues which they may have where they live. He is the chairman of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight co-operative party and goes to meetings all over the area.
He believes that being a parish councillor in a village like Denmead is like being in Wales, we work together as a family looking after each other and bring the community together in a safe environment.
Sits on Planning, Amenities and Full Council.
Cllr April Betts
I have lived in Denmead since 2021, in the Carpenters Field estate, with my partner Adam and our dogs Rex and Lady. I was born in Portsmouth and moved around England for work; and now have come home- we love the village and discovering our local area with the dogs. I hold a PhD in Health Economics and Health Policy and have always been interested in finding solutions to create value with limited resources, I am a systematic researcher used to mobilising large scale projects. I have a keen interest in preserving nature and ensuring responsible management of public funds.
Cllr Sam Bolam
Sam and his wife have lived in the village for nearly nine years, where they are raising their three children.
After serving in the Royal Marines, Sam now works in operational management, where teamwork, safety and clear decision-making are key. When not working, he enjoys spending time outdoors, keeping active, and making the most of village life with his family.
In his role as a Parish Councillor, Sam hopes to support residents in protecting the character of the village, maintaining its strong community spirit, and helping ensure that any future changes are thoughtful, balanced and in the best interests of Denmead.
Cllr Debs Carson
Many people know me as ‘The Litter Lady’ ! It’s true I’ve spent the last 4 winters clearing our lanes of litter and it’s something I get quite a kick from oddly ! When I’m not picking litter I teach on Sail Training yachts giving young people valuable skills for life in teamwork and leadership. As a woman with disability I also create sailing and hiking opportunities for adventurous women with physical or mental challenges and I know these experiences have been life changing for some. I have served in the Royal Navy and also had a long career in business as a consultant and troubleshooter for large corporate accounts. I hope that my breadth of experience will serve the Parish well.
Chair of Amenities, Finance, Admin & Personnel and Full Council.
Cllr Phil Harrison
I've lived in the Denmead village for nearly 26 years now with my family. Our 2 girls attended both the infants and junior schools here in the village but they've since flown the nest to other parts of the UK. My interests are largely DIY related as I love to build things but also walking the lovely countryside in this part of the world which usually means a coffee and cake stop is planned to be somewhere on the route. I love to ride my motor bike but only on warm sunny days and I can often be spotted cycling the lanes out the back of Hambledon and Soberton. Over the past 18 months, I've volunteered at the Denmead and Hambledon Repair cafe when I can. My 50 odd years of work experience has largely been engineering and technical manager roles for a couple of large US IT corporates until I retired about 10 years ago. Whilst I'm sure my time in the Parish Council will be a huge learning curve as I've had limited experience in this area , I intend to try and bring openness, integrity and above all, honesty to residents of Denmead for the committee's I will sit on.
Cllr Tim Lewingdon
I have been a resident of Denmead since 1997. Both of my now adult children attended the village schools, and I have worked locally since the early 1990s. I am currently partially retired and looking to use the additional time at my disposal to contribute to the community I have enjoyed living in for so many years. I am an avid walker and cyclist and possess extensive knowledge of the local paths and roads. As well as the full council I have been coopted onto the Amenities and Planning committees and look forward to gaining a better understanding of their activities.
Cllr Michelle Snellgrove
I was born and bred in Portsmouth where I lived until moving to Denmead in 2017 to be closer to my horses, who I have kept in the area for over 30 years. I taught mathematics in local schools and colleges before diversifying into teacher training. In my role as Parish Councillor, I hope to support Council in delivering local projects and to encourage community involvement.
Cllr Liz Solecka
Cllr Solecka brings experience from the public and education sectors and a strong grounding in law, which informs her commitment to fair, transparent decision‑making within the parish. She is particularly focused on improving local facilities and expanding opportunities for children and young people. Her priority as a councillor is to help create safe, supportive spaces and meaningful activities that allow the parish’s youth to grow, connect, and thrive.
Cllr Danny Stallard
Danny was born and bred in Portsmouth, along with five generations of his family and two generations from Catherington before moving to Denmead in 2011.
My hobbies include spending time on my cultivation plot within the village, where I grow my own vegetables and enjoying a general potter. I have a huge passion for nature and wildlife. I currently run a wildlife group where we share photos, information and encourage residents to do more for our wildlife, especially in their gardens.
In recent years my passion has grown and my spirit for continuing to support my community, which lead me to join Denmead Parish Council in July 2019. My main objectives are to help shape and protect our village for future generations, and to benefit us as residents together with our local wildlife habitats.
Amenities, Highways & General Purposes and Full Council.
Cllr Christine Vickers
I have lived in the village for 30 years I enjoy walking my dog locally I have recently renovated a house in the village and have enjoyed this , like socialising, I try and go to the gym I cannot say the passion for this has kicked in . I wished to become involved in the parish as I wanted to help local projects and the village that I care very much about.