About me: Councillor David Rogers OBE

I was first elected councillor for part of Brighton in 1977, having moved to the town in 1974. Since 1988 I've lived in Newhaven, and became its county councillor the following year.

From 1995, my division has also included all the villages on the western side of the Ouse Valley, from Piddinghoe to Falmer.

But how did I get here?

My parents held non-conformist religious beliefs and were Liberal Party supporters. During and after college I became more politically active, campaigning in the 1974 general elections and with both Brighton and Eastbourne Young Liberals.

In more recent years I've been involved full-time as an elected or appointed representative on a range of public sector bodies. As such, I'm here to help influence decision-making which will affect Newhaven, the Ouse Valley, and wider, non-geographical communities.

My community

East Sussex with its coast and downland has great natural beauty.

Newhaven itself has a terrific sense of community with many families having lived here for generations. But despite regeneration activities, which have ground to a halt because of the recession, there is still much more to do to raise aspirations and improve skills and health outcomes.

In my view the political process at all levels does matter. External forces such as climate change or globalisation, which impact on our local community, can be influenced by political action – and the same applies on a different scale closer to home.

My home life

My partner is a teacher in Devon. I have four children, two now working, one at university, and one who is part-way through A levels.

Achieving flexibility between my work and other aspects of life is crucial and depends on what is most important at any one time. But my circumstances are vastly different from when I was first elected 33 years ago.

My spare time

I like spending my spare time in Devon, or with my children; I enjoy music, country walks and visiting interesting places.