East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council

Rod Tranchant

Chairman of the Parish Council

My parents lived in Bracklesham Lane so I was born and bred here, attending East Wittering School and Chichester High School. I have a degree in zoology and a teaching qualification. I married Annette in 1971 and taught for ten years in Salisbury, twenty years in Tiverton, Devon, and for two years on a Pacific Island. We moved back here in 2006. We have two grown-up children and three grandchildren. Annette is an elder of the United Reformed Church.
While this parish has grown in buildings and population it has maintained its character. I am keen to see this continue.

Geoff Breeze

Vice Chairman of the Parish Council

Geoff Breeze

I was born in the West Midlands. I, with my wife and our two children, moved to the Witterings in 1975 to join St Richard’s Hospital as Principal Biomedical Scientist, a job which was very challenging and enjoyable. Our two other children were born in the Witterings. I am now retired.
I joined East Wittering Parish Council in 1979 and was chairman from 1984 to 1999. I am actively involved in village affairs and also do voluntary work as a Seafarers Welfare Visitor in Portsmouth.

Sylvia Main

Chairwoman of the Planning Committee

I came to the Witterings in 1994, having lived in Chiswick, West London, from childhood. I have three adult daughters, one of whom lives in Australia. As a Parish Councillor, I hope to fulfill my duties to the very best of my ability, with particular interests in coastal defences, parking problems within the village centres and maintaining recreational open spaces.

Basil Lambert

Basil Lambert

My wife Madge and I have been happily settled in East Wittering for nearly ten years, our association goes back a further twenty when we had a site on the Bracklesham Bay Boat & Caravan Club in East Bracklesham Lane. We first met in 1944 whilst serving with the 14th Army in Burma during WWII and next year are looking forward to celebrating our Diamond wedding, together with our two lovely daughters and their husbands. I became a councillor in 2003, in order to serve the residents in every way possible, and to help make life in this lovely village as enjoyable as possible.

Joe O’Sullivan

My wife and I have lived on the Manhood Peninsula for over 25 years. I recently retired as a Pensions Consultant and my wife retired from the Wittering Chemist at the same time. I have a grown up married daughter who is a teacher, a son who works in Tangmere and now two grandsons. My priorities for East Wittering and Bracklesham are:

• Increase leisure and health facilities
• Maintain and improve our sea defences
• Improve the promenade along the sea front
• Improve the road access to Chichester
• Improve the facilities for the under 18s

Ray Lowe

Ray Lowe

I have lived in the Witterings area since I was a boy, apart from a brief period when I was serving during the war. Eventually I settled back in East Wittering, with my Wife & purchased a shop in Shore Road in 1963 retiring in 2003. I served in Chichester Police force as a Special Sergeant during 1965 -1982. I have been an active member of the Parish Council for 20 years. I have seen the Witterings grow and expand over the years and would like to see the infrastructure & services, including Policing, commensurate with the expanded population.

James Fitch

James Fitch

Born in Southampton, My wife and I moved to Bracklesham in 2005 and have since had 2 children. I am a local business owner and have a degree with honours in marine engineering. With a passion for anything marine based, I also consult for many offshore renewable energy projects. I am actively involved with local groups and committees concentrating on sea defences, marine environmental protection and local tourism.

Jean Koennecke

Jean Koennecke

My aunt and uncle moved to Wittering in the 60’s and my parents in 1972. I have lived in Bracklesham at various times and in 1984 became PA to the Chairman of the Health Authority. Later I moved to Belgium and worked for NATO and afterwards lived for many years in Germany. When my husband died I decided to return to England to the place I call home. My daughter works for the Manhood Wildlife & Heritage Group – her role is to enhance, promote and conserve biodiversity with community involvement. My son lives in Dover and is a Fireman on the Tunnel.

I would very much like to see Bracklesham and The Witterings retain their old world charm. However we must also look after the needs of our youngsters and elderly residents. I feel it is important for a community to work together, bridging the generation gap as both older and younger people have a lot to share and learn from each other.

Ted Croucher

Ted Croucher