GENERAL
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Bishopstoke Parish Council is currently made up of 15 Councillors. There are 3 seats in each of the 5 wards - Itchen, Riverside, Stoke Common, Underwood and Whalesmead. A person who is eligible to be a Bishopstoke Parish Councillor can stand in any of the 5 wards, but only those people who live within the boundaries of the ward can vote on those seats.
"I moved to Eastleigh in 1964, aged 4, moved to Bishopstoke in 2009 and got married in 2014. I am an independent Councillor for both Eastleigh Borough Council and Bishopstoke Parish Council and I strongly believe that party politics should not be involved in local government and local decision making."
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 2 out of 6 meetings attended
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Cllr Louise Hillier-Wheal
Chair of the Council
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email: louise.hillier-wheal@bishopstokepc.org
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I moved to Bishopstoke in 1997 as I was teaching in a local school. I have fallen in love with the area and am honoured to have been voted onto the Parish Council.
I have two children who have been through the local pre-school and schools and been members of many of the local activity groups- Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Sunday School. I know how special Bishopstoke is - we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place with a fabulous sense of community.
I have loved Carnival since I moved here. I remember once turning up to the river floats and nobody being there - to now a fabulous event so well supported by the local school - meaning we get so many children and parents there. I have walked the Carnival route many years running with children dressed as pirates, elephants, fish and dalmatians - to name just a few!
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I keep fit by running the streets of Bishopstoke- slowly but steadily- and once set myself the challenge of running every street in the area. I need to do this again soon to cover the roads that have been built since - please say Hi if you see me plodding by.
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I want to keep Bishopstoke special and will do all I am able to to retain the unique character of our village.
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Louise is a member of the Glebe Meadow Working Group, the Village Trails Working Group and the Carnival Working Group.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Assets Committee - 5 out of 5 meetings attended
Planning Committee - 7 out of 14 meetings attended
Finance Committee - 3 out of 5 meetings attended
People Committee - 2 out of 2 meetings attended
UNDERWOOD WARD
Cllr Dermot McKeone
Vice Chair of Assets
Communications Lead Member
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email: dermot.mckeone@bishopstokepc.org
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Dermot was elected to Bishopstoke Parish Council in May 2021. He has lived in Bishopstoke for over 40 years and is married to Christine McKeone. They have three sons all of whom attended Bishopstoke schools.
Now retired, Dermot spent most of his career in the communications industry with periods as a journalist, public relations professional and media analyst. He ran a small media analysis consultancy in Southampton for 8 years.
He is currently a coach with a local archery club and is a keen walker. He is passionate about our local environment and wants to help make Bishopstoke a greener place to live in.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Assets Committee - 5 out of 5 meetings attended
Andy was elected to the Parish Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2021 as an independent Councillor.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 3 out of 6 meetings attended
Planning Committee - 11 out of 14 meetings attended
People Committee - 1 out of 2 meetings attended
RIVERSIDE WARD
Andrew was one of the newly elected Parish Councillors from the 2016 elections and was re-elected in 2021. He can often be seen walking round the Parish looking for ways it can be improved. He has a particular interest in litter and housing association issues.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 6 out of 6 meetings attended
Planning Committee - 12 out of 14 meetings attended
"Thank you for electing me to serve on Bishopstoke Parish council.
Bishopstoke has always been my family's go to local area for walking, cycling and running, offering quality green spaces, ancient woodland walks and an excellent river environment. The recent Covid19 restrictions have shown us just how important these green spaces are to local people.
We moved to Bishopstoke 8 years ago when a house “in need of improvement” came on the market, having previously lived in Eastleigh. We have found the area to be good for families with our two boys having attended local schools, colleges and sports clubs.
On moving to Hampshire, following jobs in London and East Anglia, I have worked for 3 Local Authorities; Bournemouth and Eastleigh Boroughs and Southampton City, specialising in regeneration and design projects. I hope that I can bring some of the experience gained to my work with the Parish.
My main reason for putting myself forward for election was that I feel strongly that we have a responsibility now to address the crisis that will face our children and grandchildren, climate change, and measures we take at a local level can and will have a positive impact.
I hope that I can successfully pick up the baton from my wife who has previously served on the Parish Council and continue to work for local residents."
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Dave is a member of the Communications Working Group, the Glebe Meadow Working Group and is the Council's main representative to Hampshire's Passenger Transport Forum.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Assets Committee - 4 out of 5 meetings attended
People Committee - 2 out of 2 meetings attended
ITCHEN WARD
Mike is married with one daughter who is studying medicine at Imperial college and due to qualify in April 2018. His wife works with at Stoke Park infants with children who have speech and language difficulties.
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The family has lived in Bishopstoke since 1994 after moving from Winchester. He loves the area and on moving here he and has family were struck with how friendly everyone was and how kind his new neighbours were.
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He is Chair of the 12th Eastleigh (Bishopstoke) Scouts, a trustee for both the AWCA and Wyvern College, volunteers with both Bishopstoke & Fair Oak Good Neighbours and One Community, and is a Street Pastor. ​
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 3 out of 6 meetings attended
Finance Committee - 5 out of 5 meetings attended
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"I have been an independent Councillor on Bishopstoke Parish Council for the past five years. I was born and raised in Bishopstoke and have lived here all my life. Both myself and my children attended the local schools.
I have always played a full part in village life and ran the local Brownie pack for several years."
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 2 out of 6 meetings attended
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STOKE COMMON WARD
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Finance Committee - 4 out of 5 meetings attended
Planning Committee - 13 out of 14 meetings attended
"I have lived in Bishopstoke for more than 40 years. Now retired, I was a social worker, working with children and families teams in Southampton and, a long time ago now, in Eastleigh.
Since my retirement I've had a couple of spells as a Parish Councillor in the village. I'm an active member of the Methodist Church in Sedgwick Road and have been a voluntary driver with the local Good Neighbours scheme for several years.
In my spare time I'm learning Spanish (bit of a must with a son living in Mexico and a Mexican daughter-in-law!) and enjoy walking and exploring Hampshire's extensive network of footpaths."
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Chris was co-opted to the Council as there was a vacancy following the elections in May. Her first Full Council meeting was in June 2021. In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Chris is a Council representative on the Passenger Transport Forum and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
"I have lived in Bishopstoke for over 25 years. I have worked in Chandlers Ford for over 20 years.
I am passionate about the environment and I work as a sustainability specialist for a retailer. I am a keen, but very slow, runner, leading runs for a local running club. I also love cycling. I was elected to the Parish Council in 2016 and it is a real privilege to serve our community."
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Gin is on the Village Trails Working Group, the Carnival Working Group and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
Committee membership and attendance (2023 - 24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
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WHALESMEAD WARD
Anne has been a Parish Councillor ever since it was formed in 1996, and was honoured to serve as Chair for many years. She has served also on the Finance & General Purposes Committee and more recently on the Buildings Committee, as she has a special interest in the Memorial Hall rebuilding project. She was also responsible for the production of the Parish Newsletter for may years.
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In addition she has been the Parish representative for local charities, and represents the Parish at the Eastleigh District Association of Local Councils. She is also a member of the Bishopstoke Community Association.
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Anne has also been a Borough Councillor and believes in being involved with her community. She has lived in Bishopstoke for more than 20 years and thinks the village has an enviable position being so close to Eastleigh and the easy access from there to many other places, and also such easy access to a variety of countryside with the woods, trees and meadows.
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Anne is on the Communications Working Group, the Glebe Meadow Working Group, the Greening Campaign Group and the Carnival Working Group. Anne is also the Parish Council representative for local parochial charities (Twynams) and to the Bishopstoke Community Association, and is the deputy representative to the Airport Consultative Committee.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 6 out of 6 meetings attended
Finance Committee - 4 out of 5 meetings attended
Assets Committee - 5 out of 5 meetings attended
People Committee - 1 out of 2 meetings attended
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Martin has previously been a Parish Councillor for Bishopstoke. He was elected back on to the Council as an independent Councillor in 2021.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 4 out of 6 meetings attended
Finance Committee - 2 out of 5 meetings attended
"I was born in west London and educated through state school until the age of 16. I joined PO Telephones in 1972, moving to Ericssons and Vodafone through my career. I partially retired in 2016 and am now retired. I have a part time job driving for a private school.
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I have many hobbies but the Bluebell Railway has been my longest with over 25 years of volunteering. I hold the rank of assistant engineer which includes a design role. I enjoy repurposing waste into a re-usable product, making external structures from pallets - from small breather pipe covers to planters to sheds using pallets and waste wood. I occasionally write short stories and enjoy watching Grand Prix's and holidays aboard cruise ships.
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I have a desire to not see Bishopstoke swallowed up into the big metropolis, to push for improvements to the facilities available to the residents, to listen and assist where I can, but not make false promises."
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In addition to the Committee responsibilities listed above, Geoff is a member of the Carnival Working Group, the Glebe Meadow Working Group and is the main representative to the Airport Consultative Committee. Geoff was re-elected to the Council in November 2022.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Assets Committee - 5 out of 5 meetings attended
People Committee - 2 out of 2 meetings attended
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Finance Committee - 1 meeting attended as Vice Chair to make the meeting quorate
"I was born and raised in Bishopstoke. I married and moved to Fair Oak in 1986. All my family live in Bishopstoke. I am an independent Councillor."
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 5 out of 6 meetings attended
Planning Committee - 14 out of 14 meetings attended
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"Hi. I'm Mark. I've lived in Bishopstoke for most of the last 10 years and in Eastleigh for the 5 years before that.
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I'm the manager of the Eastleigh branch of MHA Communities and as such get to work with older people in the Eastleigh Borough (and Romsey) to reduce isolation and loneliness as well as helping them to remain an active part of their community.
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I live on Guest Road with my wife, Sarah, my sone Grayson and our kitten Diesel.
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This is my first time holding any political office and I'm proud to be able to serve my community in this role."
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Mark was elected to the Council in December 2022.
Committee membership and attendance (2023-24)
Full Council - 4 out of 6 meetings attended
Finance Committee 1 out of 4 meetings attended
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DISPENSATIONS
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Councillors are not normally permitted to take part in discussions or votes where the matter being discussed would impact them financially. Occasionally it is desirable, or even essential, that Councillors is this position be permitted to take part in the debate and vote anyway. Councillors can apply for a dispensation to allow them to take part in proceedings and the Council will vote to either allow the dispensation or not.
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It is standard practice for Parish Councillors to be granted a dispensation to allow them to talk about Council Tax and the precept. Although Councillors are usually directly affected by the Council Tax decision, the Council still has to agree a budget and precept as otherwise it would cease to exist.
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Additionally, Bishopstoke Parish Council voted in its meeting on July 11th 2023 to grant dispensations to any Councillor with an allotment in Bishopstoke to take part in the debate and vote on any allotment related matter with the exception of setting allotment rents.
COUNCILLORS