Parish Council
Your Parish Council, Cocking Parish Council, meets in Cocking Village Hall at 18:30 on the first Monday of the month (except August). If a bank holiday falls on the first Monday, the meeting reverts to the next Monday. The Annual Parish Meeting takes place in the spring. Members of the public are generally welcome to attend proceedings, but they may be asked to withdraw for certain items of business.
Should you wish to raise an issue with the Council, please do so in advance so that it can be included on the agenda, as normally only agenda items can be discussed at the meetings.
| Councillor | Role | Contact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Chair Miss Frances Russell | Phone: 01730 817539 Email: frances.russell@cocking.org Register of member's interests | Frances took early retirement from the NHS in 2002 following a long career, initially in Nursing, where she became Director of Nursing Services /Deputy Chief Executive of Richmond Twickenham and Roehampton NHS Trust, and latterly in General Management. She was appointed as Chief Executive of Sussex Weald and Downs NHS Trust based in Chichester in 1993 and took early retirement in 2002. Since her retirement she has been actively involved in the voluntary sector as a Trustee of Age UK West Sussex and Chair of The Aldingbourne Trust. She was appointed as Chair of Healthwatch West Sussex in 2013. Frances has also been Chair of Governors at Chichester College and was previously a councillor on Cocking Parish Council for eight years. Frances has lived in Cocking with her 4 dogs since 1996, but grew up in Luton and to this day is a supporter and season ticket holder of Luton Town FC. |
 | Vice Chair David Imlach | Phone: 01730 815384 Email: david.imlach@cocking.org Register of member's interests | David and his wife Sharon have lived in the village for over sixteen years although they bought their house a couple of years before as a weekend retreat. They liked the area so much that when David retired, they made Cocking their home. Prior to retirement, he worked for 36 years for a national electrical retailer - in senior management roles including transport-distribution and building development and maintenance. David also worked with local community affairs and was a director of a Charitable Trust. Today, David sits on the Parochial Church Council as a representative on the local Deanery Synod and is principal organiser of the annual church fête. He also sits on various other local committees. In his spare time, David likes playing golf. He is a member of both the Cowdray and Chiddingfold golf clubs and is the organiser of a major Seniors competition covering surrounding counties. David has four children and many grandchildren! |
 | Councillor Tim Carter | Mobile: 07769 896804 Email: tim.carter@cocking.org Register of member's interests | Tim moved to Cocking in November 2022. He is retired, but previously ran his own business consultancy for 25 years specialising in the management of business change programmes for blue-chip clients. Tim enjoys all forms of sport, especially rugby (watching, not playing, these days!) and he can often be seen jogging through the village. He also likes long distance walking and has completed a number of the National Trails including the South Downs Way and Hadrian’s Wall. Tim is excited to be taking on his new role as a parish councillor and he is looking forward to serving and supporting the local community. |
 | Councillor Andrew Cornwell | Email: andrew.cornwell@cocking.org Mobile: 07920 062046 Email: andrew.cornwell@cocking.org Register of member's interests | I moved to Cocking with my wife, Clare, and our dog in June 2021 after I retired from the Metropolitan Police earlier the same year. I have two grown up children, my son lives in Burgess Hill with his girlfriend and my daughter is currently living in Swansea. I served as a police officer in London for over 30 years in many different roles. I started my career patrolling the streets of South and Central London before becoming a Detective. In this role I was seconded to the Home Office where I qualified as a Financial Investigator, before returning to the Met where I finished my career in Specialist Operations. I have a passion for Rugby and took up refereeing about 12 years ago when injuries told me it was time to stop playing! For the last few years I coordinated a small team of referees in the Surrey area, a responsibility I handed over when I moved down here. I have many things to keep me busy now; I volunteer for a charity, Labradors in Need, doing home visits and dog assessments, I have also discovered that seasonal working in the local vineyards can be hard work but good fun. I am looking forward to being an active member of the Cocking community and doing what I can to keep the village thriving. |
 | Councillor Jean Jackson | Phone: 01730 816978 Mobile: 07979 500517 Email: jean.jackson@cocking.org Register of member's interests | I have lived in Cocking for well over 30 years and have been involved in many village projects during that time. These include being a member of the committee to design, make and produce the Cocking History Column, editor and publisher of the book - A Short History of Cocking, organiser of the Cocking Flower Festival - a three day event at Cocking Church for the Millennium (it was an excellent fundraiser), committee member with Frances Russell for the inception and implementation of the Village Hall and fund raiser for the Parish Church and other appeals. I am a Governor of the Restoration and Development Trust of Chichester Cathedral and I sit on the Dreambuilding Committee helping to raise funds for the new St Wilfrid's Hospice - £12,000,000 + has been raised to date. I run the Sculpture Studio together with my husband Philip Jackson. I am completely integrated in village life and want to do anything that can help to keep the village vibrant and a happy place for people to live in. |
 | Councillor Wayne Renney | Mobile: 07501 306846 Email: wayne.renney@cocking.org Register of member's interests | |
 | Councillor David Summerfield | Mobile: 07900 495845 Email: david.summerfield@cocking.org Register of member's interests | David has lived in the Chichester area since 2000, having moved here to start work after completing a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He moved to Cocking in Jan 2017, where he now lives with his wife and two children. David is a Director of a construction company specialising in the supply of large scale commercial greenhouses, and the technology within them. He is also a member of the Cocking Village Hall Committee. In his spare time David enjoys Windsurfing, Mountain Biking and Trail Running along with most other outdoor sports! |
 | Clerk to the Council Greg Burt | 46 Highfield Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO22 8PH Mobile: 07739 506275 Email: parishclerk@cocking.org | The Clerk to the Council, Greg is the part-time Council's Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer. He is responsible for the Councils' administration, ensuring that everything the Council does is legal, including its finances. He as a degree in Public Administration, and after 10 years of self-employment, since 1999 has held a variety of positions within Parish and Town Councils in Hampshire and West Sussex, coming to Cocking in the summer of 2014, which he undertakes alongside a full-time role as Clerk to another Parish Council. Greg enjoys working with communities and in his spare time is heavily involved in a number of community groups in Bognor Regis where he lives. |
 | District Councillor Hannah Burton | 1-2 Pollards Oak Iping Midhurst GU29 0PD Mobile: 07766 964776 Email: hburton@chichester.gov.uk Register of member's interests | From the Chichester District Council website: I am a mother of preschool twins and work for my husband’s horticultural nurseries just outside Midhurst. I am also the Secretary of a community group, UK Sunflower Aid, who deliver medical aid directly to military hospitals in Ukraine. I am very community focused being passionate about the farming and horticultural societies with real world experience of the practicalities of working with nature. |
 | District Councillor Jess Brown-Fuller | Little Haven Ashfield Road Midhurst GU29 9JX Mobile: 07904 779415 Email: jbrown-fuller@chichester.gov.uk Register of member's interests | From the Chichester District Council website: Jess lives in Midhurst with her husband, two children and her yellow labrador. Jess is passionate about culture and the arts, and obtained her degree in performing arts at the University of Chichester in 2013. She is the conductor of Midhurst Community Choir and Chaired the Midhurst music, arts and drama festival for 5 years. She also launched the monthly farmers and artisan market in 2022. Jess is proud to represent Midhurst at Chichester District Council and continue the work she has started locally. |
 | County Councillor for Rother Valley Tom Richardson | c/o County Hall West Street Chichester West Sussex PO19 1RQ Email: tom.richardson@westsussex.gov.uk Register of member's interests | From the County Council website: Councillor Tom Richardson lives on the border of Lodsworth and Graffham Parishes within the Rother Valley division. Tom was elected as Councillor for our local the Rother Valley Division on 6th May 2021 and sits on the Council's Fire & Rescue Scrutiny Committee. |
 | Footpaths: Mrs Naomi Barnett | Highlands, Bell Lane, Cocking, West Sussex GU29 0HU |
