The Chairman presides over meetings of the full Council, ensuring that the Council acts in the best interests of all residents and businesses in the District. Elected by the whole of the Council at its Annual Meeting in May, the Chairman serves for one municipal year.
The Chairman acts as civic figurehead and ambassador for the Council and the District of South Northamptonshire.
Councillor Dermot Bambridge was born and grew up in Sussex and came to South Northamptonshire in 1981. He moved to Silverstone in 1986 and became district councillor for the ward in 2004. He is married to Angela and they have three sons - Nigel, Thomas and Peter.
He has worked in the UK and abroad in the motor industry all of his career and is now a public relations consultant working predominantly for the tyre industry with classic motor events, and also for St John Ambulance Northamptonshire.
He has selected two charities for his year in office - St John Ambulance Northamptonshire, Brackley and Towcester Divisions, which hold both youth and adult activities and support the community with their services. The second charity is Parkinsons UK for its Daventry, Northampton and Towcester area. Parkinsons UK supports not only Parkinson's Disease sufferers themselves but also their carers and families and also raises money for reseach to find a cure.
As well as the regular roles as Chairman and representing the District at events, Dermot aims to promote tourism in the district. He feels that this is appropriate as the economic conditions lead more British people to take domestic holidays as well as more foreign tourists coming here to take advantage of the weak pound. He points out that South Northamptonshire has so much to offer to visitors, from racing at Silverstone and Towcester to some of the finest houses and countryside in the UK.
If you would like to invite the Chairman to an event please contact:
Jackie Gillespie
Executive Secretary
South Northamptonshire Council
Springfields
Towcester
Northamptonshire NN12 6AE
01327 322302
jackie.gillespie@southnorthants.gov.uk