Local Government
Rochford Parish Council
Rochford Parish Council
Councillor John Ashton
12 Somerset Avenue
Rochford
Essex
SS4 1QA
01702 548973
12 Somerset Avenue
Rochford
Essex
SS4 1QA
01702 548973
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Talking with Parish Councillor John Ashton (11th April 2011)
I ran across John Ashton after a Management Committee of St. Mark’s Hall. Having recently run across him keeping the door at the recent Farmers Market in the W.I. Hall it seemed that here was yet another of those Councillors who seem to throw themselves into the community. Watch for the word ‘involved’. That says it all! Lessons here for would-be Councillors!
I ran across John Ashton after a Management Committee of St. Mark’s Hall. Having recently run across him keeping the door at the recent Farmers Market in the W.I. Hall it seemed that here was yet another of those Councillors who seem to throw themselves into the community. Watch for the word ‘involved’. That says it all! Lessons here for would-
Rochford Life: So John, how long have you been a Councillor now?
John: About eighteen months.
RL: So you’re relatively new. Why did you become a Councillor?
John: Basically because of the area, wanting to be involved in the area. As a driving instructor, because you are working in the area anyway, you get involved in the local community and I wanted to get more deeply into it.
RL: Have you taken on any particular roles within the Council?
John: Well obviously I’m on the Committee here at St. Marks, I’m also involved as you know with the Farmer’s Market. I’m on every Committee, the Finance Committee, etc. and I’m the Vice Chairman on the General Purposes Committee. That one particularly was what I wanted to get involved with really because it covers a multitude of things.
RL: You are someone who gets involved.
John: Yes, if there is something to be done, I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. I mostly just sit in the background but if there is a job to be done I’ll get in and do it. I don’t mind what it is.
RL: As a driving instructor do you have to give up time to serve on the Council
John: Sometimes it conflicts but mostly I work my way around it. I’m on the National Joint Council for Driving Instructors and our meetings are up in Birmingham so sometimes, like today with St. Marks Hall Management Committee, because the Driving Standards Agency have their meetings on a Sunday with us because naturally that’s when most Driving Instructors are off, we have to come back from Birmingham on Monday which may conflict with this Committee so I’m not available, but mostly the dates work out all right. It’s voluntary, you don’t get paid for it, but I get involved with driving instructors up in say Birmingham or Aberdeen. For instance on Thursday evening I was told I needed to go up on Friday to Telford in Shropshire because they had a problem up there with driving instructors so I went up there for that. That’s the wider community if you like. I just like to be involved.
RL: You feel fulfilled in being a Councillor.
John: Oh yes, I love it. My wife finds it a bit of burden occasionally because I’m sometimes never in, but she never gets upset about it.
RL: What do you actually love about being on the Council?
John: It’s getting involved. For example that’s why I love coming on this Committee at St. Marks because I love getting involved with young people. You teach them to drive and you take every person as they are, each one an individual. I just like getting involved with the community.
RL: Well thank you very much John. It’s good to get just a little further insight into the commitment that is there it seems in each Councillor, and clearly in yourself. Thank you again.
John: About eighteen months.
RL: So you’re relatively new. Why did you become a Councillor?
John: Basically because of the area, wanting to be involved in the area. As a driving instructor, because you are working in the area anyway, you get involved in the local community and I wanted to get more deeply into it.
RL: Have you taken on any particular roles within the Council?
John: Well obviously I’m on the Committee here at St. Marks, I’m also involved as you know with the Farmer’s Market. I’m on every Committee, the Finance Committee, etc. and I’m the Vice Chairman on the General Purposes Committee. That one particularly was what I wanted to get involved with really because it covers a multitude of things.
RL: You are someone who gets involved.
John: Yes, if there is something to be done, I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. I mostly just sit in the background but if there is a job to be done I’ll get in and do it. I don’t mind what it is.
RL: As a driving instructor do you have to give up time to serve on the Council
John: Sometimes it conflicts but mostly I work my way around it. I’m on the National Joint Council for Driving Instructors and our meetings are up in Birmingham so sometimes, like today with St. Marks Hall Management Committee, because the Driving Standards Agency have their meetings on a Sunday with us because naturally that’s when most Driving Instructors are off, we have to come back from Birmingham on Monday which may conflict with this Committee so I’m not available, but mostly the dates work out all right. It’s voluntary, you don’t get paid for it, but I get involved with driving instructors up in say Birmingham or Aberdeen. For instance on Thursday evening I was told I needed to go up on Friday to Telford in Shropshire because they had a problem up there with driving instructors so I went up there for that. That’s the wider community if you like. I just like to be involved.
RL: You feel fulfilled in being a Councillor.
John: Oh yes, I love it. My wife finds it a bit of burden occasionally because I’m sometimes never in, but she never gets upset about it.
RL: What do you actually love about being on the Council?
John: It’s getting involved. For example that’s why I love coming on this Committee at St. Marks because I love getting involved with young people. You teach them to drive and you take every person as they are, each one an individual. I just like getting involved with the community.
RL: Well thank you very much John. It’s good to get just a little further insight into the commitment that is there it seems in each Councillor, and clearly in yourself. Thank you again.
