Mark Bee - Beccles

I was born and raised in Beccles, where I attended local schools. I was a student at Westminster College, Oxford, where I gained a degree in Theology and was elected President of the Student Union. It was from this that my interest in politics was established. On returning to Beccles, I was elected to the Town Council in 1991. I served as Deputy Mayor in my first term and, a few years later, as Town Mayor.

I work for the Conservative Party as a Constituency Agent, something I have done now for more than 25 years.

In 1998, I was elected to Waveney District Council and served as a District Councillor for 21 years. I was Leader of the Council for nine years, longer than anyone else in the Council's history. I also served as Chairman of the Council for a year. I was part of the project which created the new East Suffolk Council, which was established in April 2019.

In 2005, I was elected as a Suffolk County Councillor for Beccles. Over the last 15 years I have been Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee and from 2011-2015 was Leader of Suffolk County Council.

I remain passionate about my work as a Councillor and for the Beccles Division, which is where I live and have my roots. Suffolk is a wonderful County and we should never take for granted the beautiful environment in which we live.

I can be contacted at Mark.Bee@suffolk.gov.uk

News

Beccles Southern Relief Road officially opened

Tuesday, 25 September, 2018

On 25 September, the Beccles Southern Relief Road was officially opened by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Robert Rous.

Russ Rainger - Aldeburgh and Leiston

I moved to Suffolk in 2007, when Denise and I made Snape our home. I retired from a 30-year career in the nuclear power industry in 2014. My interest in local issues has been fuelled by my involvement with the Parish Council and, in 2017, I stood for a County Council position.

Christopher Hudson - Belstead Brook

It has been a great honour to serve and represent the people of Suffolk as a County Councillor since 2012. I also served as a District Councillor from 2011-2019.

Paul West - Bixley

I am married to Katherine and have two stepchildren. Ipswich has always been our home and we run our small businesses here too. It is a great place to live as we are just an hour from London and have a vibrant waterfront area. I was elected at the County Councillor for the Bixley Division in a by-election in May 2016.

Joanna Spicer MBE DL - Blackbourn

I have been the Suffolk County Councillor for the Blackbourn Division for almost 30 years. I have worked in the public sector in Suffolk since 1972 and live in Pakenham with my husband Christopher.

Richard Smith MVO - Blything

I have been a County Councillor since 2010 and represent the Blything Division, which consists of the town of Saxmundham (where I live) and twelve villages to the north – Blythburgh, Bramfield, Darsham, Dunwich, Kelsale-cum-Carlton, Middleton, Theberton, Thorington, Walberswick, Wenhaston, Westleton and Yoxford.

Kay Oakes - Bosmere

I have lived in Needham Market since 1997. I was a Needham Market Town Councillor for fifteen years and I have served as Mayor of Needham Market and Chairman of the Town Council three times.

David Ritchie - Bungay

My wife and I live in St James South Elmham, one of the 25 rural parishes in the Bungay electoral Division. We keep a few sheep and some chickens and are doing our best to restore and improve a timber-frame Suffolk long house. Rachel is the Church Warden and we both help with village events.

Mary Evans - Clare

I come from a farming family and grew up in Suffolk. I trained as a reporter on the East Anglian Daily Times, where I met my husband. Our careers took us to Westminster where I worked as a political correspondent.

Rachel Hood - Exning and Newmarket

I am a Cambridge University educated Barrister, a qualified Californian/USA Federal Court Attorney, and a married mother of four. My husband and I run a business in Newmarket, where I am a Town Councillor and the current Mayor, having been Mayor previously in 2014-15 and 2018-19.

Graham Newman - Felixstowe Coastal

I first started working in Felixstowe – for BT in Anzani House - in 1984, and eventually moved to the town in 1992. I was elected to the County Council for Felixstowe Coastal Division in 2005, and successfully re-elected in 2009, 2013 and 2017.