Parish Councils
Civil Parish Councils were first created in 1889 and through evolving legislation emerged in their current form in 1997.  The word “parish” is the old English word for local territory or catchment area.  A Parish Council is the most local elected body within the system of English Local Government. The Government's White Paper on devolving more power to local authorities, including Parish Councils, has recently been published.  However, as yet there is little information about how these new powers are to be financed.

Shiplake Parish Council
Our Parish Council should consist of nine councillors elected every four years to represent a population of approximately 1,400 electors. (Click on the following link to see the boundaries of the Parish: Parish Boundaries).  The Councillors elect their Chairman and Vice Chairman annually in May.

Council Responsibilities & Budget                                                 

Meetings are normally held in the Memorial Hall starting at 7.45pm.

Latest Parish Council Meeting Minutes:      Click: Parish Council Latest Minutes

Ann Law
Ann hails from Yorkshire, but she moved to  Shiplake 42 years ago with her family. She wanted to put something back into the community that became her new home and has been a Shiplake Parish councillor for over 20 years.  Ann’s main work on behalf of the Council has focused on her role as their representative on the Governing Body of Shiplake Primary school.  Ann is also on the Editorial Panel for this Newsletter.

Eddy Ryder  
Eddy moved to Shiplake 13 years ago and has been on the Council for 8 years, including a spell as Chairman.  He spent half his working life in industry and half in the Civil Service, working in the Nuclear Installations     Inspectorate and then the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority.  He finds the contrast between local and central government fascinating.  His main interest is preventing the creeping urbanisation of Shiplake.     

Richard Dean
Richard has lived in the area for 25 years, and in Shiplake for the last 7 years.  He has been a member of the Council for 5 years, previously having served as a Twyford Councillor.  Richard has recently retired from Hewlett Packard where he worked for many years, specialising in finance and administration.  Richard’s particular interests on the Council are planning and financial matters.  He spends his spare time tinkering with classic cars, canoeing and walking.  Richard chaired the Council from  2007 to 2010.    

Joy Arnott
Joy was born in Hendon and after finishing her education moved to Australia where she spent the next 35 years.  She worked initially as a property manager and latterly she managed business centres in Brisbane.  She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.  In 2004 she moved back to the UK and has lived in Shiplake for  four years. She works for Simmons & Sons in Henley and is an active member of the Rotary Club of Henley Bridge. She has been very impressed by the community spirit in Shiplake and is keen to play a part in retaining that character and charm.

Roger Head
Roger has lived in Binfield Heath all his life and is the third generation of his family to do so.  He has taken an active role in the community from early age and has been a Parish Councillor for over thirty years, including a period as the Chairman.  Roger is also an active member of the local branch of the Royal  British Legion and he currently represents both the Parish Council and the British Legion on the Memorial Hall Management

Malcolm Leonard
Malcolm, his wife Eva and two children, moved to Shiplake in 1972. However, his work for Tetra Pak, a Swedish packaging company, took them to a number of locations including Ireland, Scotland and latterly West Africa.  Malcolm became a Parish Councillor in 2002 and a District Councillor in 2003. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Henley Bridge and Chairman of the Shiplake Branch of the Conservatives. He was in the Territorial Army for many years and helped establish mini-rugby at Henley Rugby Club.  

Francis Phillimore
Francis moved to Dunsden in 1986 and to Binfield Heath in 1990. His family have lived in Shiplake and Binfield Heath since 1821. Francis has been a councillor for 12 years, including a time as Chairman. He practised for 30 years as a barrister in Family and Employment law.  Francis follows the family tradition of seeking to serve the community which they have done since 1894 when his great grandfather was the first Parish Council Chairman.

Geoff Thomas
Geoff moved to Shiplake with his wife, Pippa, and family in 1981, attracted by its village and riverside environment.
His three daughters all went to Shiplake Primary School, where he served on the PTA and became Deputy Chairman.
Having recently retired from his role as Personnel Director with an international organisation, Geoff joined the council
at the end of last year and is a member of the Planning Working Party.
His interests include sailing, rowing, rugby and the arts.

Tudor Taylor - Chairman
Tudor his wife Sally and his two sons have lived in the village for some 15 years. He has had a long association with Shiplake through his wife's family and was married in St Peter and St Paul's church over 30 years ago.
Tudor has spent all of his working life in UK Financial Services taking a number of senior roles across the industry. He joined the Council in September 2009 and is keen to to do whatever it takes to protect the village and it's environment; to build on it's great sense of community and to ensure it remains the great place it is to live in.
Tudor's interests include walking, travelling, the arts and, not surprisingly, given his Welsh roots - rugby.