Milwich Ward member for Stafford Borough Council, since 2007.
Having worked with landowners and farmers all her working life and having run her own business for 10 years, Frances champions rural communities and enterprises. Previously portfolio holder for Economic Development, she now chairs the Economic Development & Planning Scrutiny Committee. Frances is passionate about quality design in our buildings, fighting the case at national and local level to ensure robust policies to ensure all new build will accommodate the highest quality standards and highest environmental future proofing. She is a strong advocate for the natural environment, for nature recovery, has fought strenuously for the protection of Cannock Chase Special Landscape and its ecology, and was its longstanding Partnership chair.
She has served on national government boards – Defra, Government Office WM, Peak District National Park, Harper Adams University. A long-standing magistrate, she also served as an Independent Person – hearing parental appeals against social services decisions in child custody cases.
In the aftermath of the Stafford hospital scandal and Francis Report, she was a founder NED of Engaging Communities, an independent watchdog, bringing together research, public engagement, advocacy and customer feedback for the health and social care sectors: hospitals, primary care, care homes. EC manages various Healthwatch contracts.
Frances can be contacted on 07877 896 466; or [email protected]