New team for 2006 for Shepway Liberal Democrats

10.52.16am GMT Thu 22nd Dec 2005

Neil Matthews: 2006 Vice chair of Shepway Liberal Democrats

Shepway Lib Dems have elected their team to lead the Party locally for 2006, with a mix of new faces and experience. Tim Prater will take over as Chair in the New Year, with Neil Matthews as Vice Chair.

The full executive for 2006 is:

Mary Done (President), Tim Prater (Chair), Neil Matthews (Vice Chair), Jill Ward (Secretary), Darren Briddock (Treasurer), Season Prater (Membership Secretary), Maggie Barrett, Peter Carroll, Sam Matthews, Kate McNeice, Tom McNeice, Shaun Roberts, Troy Scaum, Maureen Speller, David Callahan, Peter Gane and Julie White.

Tim Prater has been active in the Liberal Democrats for around 15 years. A former Chair of the national Liberal Democrat Youth and Students, he has also worked for the Liberal Democrats in a range of fundraising and management positions, and is now web site designer. Locally Tim was the Lib Dem candidate in Folkestone West ward (covering Sandgate, Morehall and Cheriton) for the 2005 County elections where sitting councillor Linda Cuffley was beaten into a poor third place.

Neil Matthews is the new deputy leader of the Lib Dem group on Shepway District Council and leads the Lib Dem group on Hythe Town Council. Darren Briddock is a local businessman and computer engineer and stood for Hythe Town Council in the Hythe South ward by-election in July. Jill Ward continues as Secretary for her third year, and Season Prater as Membership Secretary.

Tim said:

"I'm delighted to have become Chair of the Shepway Liberal Democrats at this time. I'm looking forward to working with Lynne Beaumont and the Lib Dem Council group to work to get a good deal for Shepway from our Council. I look forward to working with the new executive, our growing membership and activists over the next year to further develop and spread the Lib Dem message locally.

"The new executive has an excellent range of experience and new faces - many other parties struggle to find young active people, but we are in the great position of a huge range of ages and experience. We're looking forward to getting to work, and already have a wide range of campaigning activity both on the go and planned, a selection of forthcoming member events and more.

"We're going to get off to a flying start in 2006 - on 12 January Lembit Opik MP will be joining us in Saltwood at our "Kickstart 2006" event. Lembit is a great speaker, and we're looking forward to welcoming him to the area - all members are welcome!"

Related Links:

Shepway Liberal Democrat contact details

Forthcoming events