South Oxfordshire Councillors

I’ve lived and practised as a professional locally since 1996 and been a volunteer for Natural England for over 20 years. I am a volunteer wildlife rescuer for Tiggywinkles and have been an eco warrior in one way or another since I was a child growing up in South Africa.  I am a passionate environmentalist and biodiversity advocate and want to preserve and find the right balance for all of us to thrive. Without finding that balance we really don’t have a future.

I have lived in the ward for 25 years, and worked at CABI in Wallingford for 26 years as the Chief Information Officer and Publishing Director. I am passionate about supporting the local economy and addressing the challenges of climate change through local activism and district council leadership.  Since being elected in May 2019 I have served as the Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Policy and Programmes, overseeing a huge IT transformation project and the plans to move to a new sustainable Council headquarters at the Didcot Gateway site. I also led the work to produce the SODC Corporate Plan, which reflects the priorities of our residents and businesses – protecting and restoring nature, working in an open and accountable way and dealing with the challenges of a changing climate.  I have worked closely with all four parish councils in my ward, ensuring strong two-way communication and representation.

I am a farmer and nature conservationist. I have been the tenant of Path Hill Farm on the Hardwick Estate for 24 years where we run an organic, pasture-fed Hereford suckler herd and arable system, and look after many species-rich pastures and rare floodplain hay meadows. I also manage a large area of ancient coppice woodland in Bromley, Kent. Since the 1980s I have been an active member both of the organic movement and of the Green Party, and have stood in several council elections. Since 2008 I have also been a director of a renewable energy company specialising in the installation and maintenance of biomass boilers. I am active in local environmental groups, such as Pangbourne and Whitchurch Sustainability Group, and sometimes give talks. I am a sometime writer on farming matters, and am currently writing a book about global land use. I have a large family of grown-up children, all doing wonderful things, and a beloved partner, Jane.

I am a Green Party District Councillor for the Woodcote and Rotherfield Ward, elected in May 2019. Since my election I have been working hard to promote Green policies and ethos in my very Conservative ward. I am known in my ward for being dedicated, responsive and hard-working. 

As South Oxfordshire’s River Thames Champion, I have led the campaign for cleaner rivers and an end to sewage pollution and initiated SODC’s efforts to achieve Bathing Water Status for Wallingford. I have successfully supported parishes considering 20mph limits, in the face of opposition from their Conservative County Councillor. I am a member of the Oxfordshire Pension Fund Committee where I am a leading voice calling for faster divestment of fossil fuel investments. Within the branch, I have been a dedicated and hard-working Green Party member with an active role in producing leaflets, press releases and consultation responses.

I believe in working collaboratively with others to achieve positive change and in being truthful, compassionate and open-minded in my dealings with residents, parish councils, colleagues and those from other parties.

I was pleased to be elected Chair of the council for 2021.

Cllr Peter Dragonetti was elected to South Oxfordshire District Council in 2019, after many years as a parish councillor, mainly as chair. Before moving to Goring Heath some 35 years ago, he was a keen cyclist in London, and was heavily involved in the London Cycling Campaign as the Treasurer and an organiser of events. Now Vice Chair of the Planning Committee on SODC, he is still involved in many roles in his parish and local area ranging from volunteering with BBOWT to rescuing a closed pub from developers.

Robin Bennett represents Berinsfield ward, and is a former County Councillor. Robin has led opposition to the controversial Conservative local plan, and fought to ensure better environmental policies were added when Secretary of State Robert Jenrick MP intervened to force it through.

In his cabinet role, Robin is working on plans to restart council-led housing provision. He is leading on Berinsfield Garden Village, which aims to help residents to thrive and deliver improved community facilities, and the Local Economic Recovery plan which will use principles of community wealth-building to support an inclusive, green recovery in South Oxfordshire.

Robin organises the Greener Festival Award-winning event ‘Wood’ at Braziers Park, Oxfordshire and is a self-employed musician. He’s a trustee at The Berin Centre, a charity-run children’s and community centre in Berinsfield, and chair of governors at Dorchester St Birinus primary school.

I have lived in Culham in South Oxfordshire for 17 years, after periods in Spain, London and, originally, Cheshire. I work as a Public Health professional working in Oxfordshire County Council, specialising in drug & alcohol treatment services. Having studied politics and philosophy at university, I have been involved in environmental & animal rights campaigning for many years. I was elected as District Councillor for Sandford and the WIttenhams in 2019 with 73% of the vote. I chair the District’s Climate and Ecological Emergencies committee and I am the Cycle and Active Travel Champion for the District.
I am a parish councillor as well as a District Councillor, campaigning with the local community on over-development, more active travel infrastructure and local climate mitigation actions such as hedgerow and tree planting, achieving lower speed limits, and new bus routes. I was also a governor at John Mason school for 5 years and am now a member of Abingdon Learning Trust.