Biography – Jill Webster, council candidate for Banchory & Mid Deeside

Jill is a local girl, educated in Aberdeen at Albyn School and Aberdeen University, who has lived just outside Banchory for 12 years. She is married to Nick and they have 2 sons, aged 15 and 10.

Jill has been the Aberdeenshire Councillor for Mid Deeside covering the areas of the west end of Banchory, Tilqhillie, Blackhall, Deebank, Inchmarlo, Glassel, Kincardine O’Neil, Strachan, Torphins and beyond since being elected at the last local government elections in 2003.

A business woman, who now works part time,  she started a manufacturing business with her husband 19 years ago, the business now employing over 60 people and designing and manufacturing its own products. Prior to this she ran a Quality Assurance Consultancy  and also held positions in Technical and Quality Management.

Jill has a determined, hard working and entrepreneurial spirit and believes where there is a will there is a way. These qualities serve her well in performing her role as a local Councillor as she believes her flair, imagination and ability to think laterally are a necessity in local government to make things happen.

She is an active and vociferous Councillor with a reputation for getting things done-never satisfied with the status quo and constantly questioning.  She can’t abide the nanny state and believes in freedom of the individual, but freedom with responsibility.

Her business skills give her a good understanding of finance and she continually challenges the current ruling Liberal Democrat Administration’s management of Council finances and budgets.

Jill serves on the main Policy and Resources Committee dealing with local Government Finance and Policy Development, the Education and Recreation Committee, Aberdeenshire South Licensing Board and the Marr Area Committee dealing with Planning and Local issues.

Her Ward covers a wide area and she attends Community Councils, School Boards and Village Associations of all the communities she serves.

An interest in sustainability and the environment pervades her work which Jill believes stems from her studies in Zoology at University, many decades ago, long before these subjects were fashionable.

Examples of projects she has successfully worked on in her term are:

• Strachan Bridge improvements to alleviate flooding (£500,000 project cost)

• Progressing additional community facilities for Torphins in the form of an extension to the Learney Hall.

• The building of an extension to Strachan school after campaigning to save the school from closure.

However, as a Councillor, it’s not only the major projects that matter, it’s very often the little things which make the difference to people’s lives-saving the school bus route, getting extra recycling bins, road safety improvements, additional street lighting, tidying up the park, fixing roadside seating, the list is endless. Jill recognises the importance of these things and works hard to get the little issues sorted.

Jill is sure at the next local government elections, with the new proportional representation system, the Conservatives will be in a position to influence policy, set better budgets and ensure tighter control of finances and she very much looks forward to this.

She would like to continue her drive for a better Banchory, addressing important issues such as the need for a new Academy and much improved Recreation and Leisure facilities in view of the level of  both current and future developments pending.

You can e-mail Jill at jill@wakconservatives.com