About me: Councillor Rupert Simmons

I was elected councillor for Heathfield in 2001, having stood on Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council (1995) and Wealden District Council (1999). I moved here in 1955.

But how did I get here?

I took an honours degree at Reading University and moved into practising as a surveyor in Surrey, focusing mainly on planning law. With the introduction of the green belt and the cessation of much planning work, I made a career change to the music business, first in Vienna and then in New England. I came back to London to work in the media, initially with London Weekend Television and then the Observer newspaper. I spent 10 years there ending up as a member of the executive board.

I moved then into three operations at the same time. I was a consultant lobbyist working with the European Parliament in Brussels, a partner in a property company and a partner in a publishing company. This last company concentrates on a financial magazine specialising in the investment trusts sector of the London stock market.

My community

The best thing about being a councillor is the feeling you get when you have represented a cause and succeeded. I campaigned successfully to reopen Heathfield police station and as cabinet member for education, I saw how measures we introduced led to dramatic improvements in pupils’ performances.

My spare time

My personal interests lie in travel which has long been a compulsion. Each school holiday over the last seven years has seen me exploring another part of the world. Music, mostly classical and modern jazz, and concerts whenever and wherever I have the opportunity.

Sport has been another passion since I was a boy. I was a sprinter as a young athlete, played rugby at college and was my Club Captain in the Surrey Cricket Championship. Following Liverpool in Europe during my newspaper days was a glorious time and I now follow the New England Patriots American football team when I am in the USA every year doing an article for my magazine.

It would be no surprise that I have a fascination for politics but especially those of the USA. This comes from my first time in America after university where I worked in the campaign team for Walter Mondale, then a vice-presidential candidate. As I recall my primary responsibility was making coffee.

Being a newspaper man, I still have a devotion to the press and at least two newspapers a day are a must. Lastly I have an over enthusiastic passion for cooking, many foreign cuisines and fine wines.