About me: Councillor Terry Fawthrop

I was elected as the representative for Baird & Ore (Hastings) on 4 June 2009 and this is my first time on the County Council.

But how did I get here?

I have lived in East Sussex for 25 years and I have been a member of the Conservative party for about 30 years. I worked in the civil service and, when I retired, I decided that I would like to be more involved in the decision making process.

My community

The main area of concern in my division is deprivation, some parts are amongst the bottom 3% in the country.

East Sussex is a wonderful county full of diversity and history, the people I represent cover all spectrums of society and I am challenged by the sheer variety of problems they present.

The hardest thing about being a councillor is getting to a situation where you have not got what your resident wants and finding that you can go no further.

An example of how I have made a difference being a councillor was when I obtained transport to school for a disabled child after it had been refused. I may seem like a small problem, but it made a world of difference for the family.

My home life

I have been married for 43 years (to the same person). I have two children, one of whom is a councillor in another part of the country and one who is a zoologist.

I was an engineer in the Prison Service – I maintained prisons and have a good knowledge of management and tendering procedures.

My tip for balancing your home life and being a councillor is to let your wife organise your diary.

My spare time

I am a member of several voluntary organisations. I was an advisor with the Citizen's Advice Bureau for 10 years, and a social policy co-ordinator for 6.

I chair the Hastings mediation service and I am a trained mediator.

I have several credits with Sussex University in archaeology and I love opera.