Profile

I am married with four daughters and seven grandchildren; and have lived in Stafford all my married life.   My background is as a company director, business advisor and parliamentary lobbyist - as Midlands Director of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) particularly working with rural businesses, farmers and foresters - and then running my own business. My particular expertise lies in my understanding of rural economic, community and environmental issues local and national.

My various roles bring me alongside a wide range of agencies, voluntary organisations and people. I have broad interests and Board level experience across education, environment, economy and social sectors, including currently:

• Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning, Stafford Borough Council;
• Stafford Borough Council representative on Destination Staffordshire, the county’s tourism economic partnership;
• Chair Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Joint Committee, for Defra;
• Staffordshire representative to Defra’s national LEPs Rural Roundtable Forum for Staffordshire and Stoke Local Enterprise Partnership;
• Chair Staffordshire Rural Affairs Forum (advisory arm of the LEP);
• Staffordshire ESIF committee (directing EU funding for large scale project bids);
• Broad Eye Windmill Council of Management for SBC;
• Sow and Penk Drainage Board – SBC representative;
• Non-executive Director Engaging Communities. ECS brings together public engagement, research, information provision, advocacy and customer feedback services for the health and social care sector; we manage Health Watch for government in Staffordshire and across the Midlands and North West;
• Midland Heritage Champion for Historic England;
• Trustee William Salt Library in Stafford, a unique archive of Staffordshire history;
• Trustee Staffordshire Yeomanry Museum, housed in the High House, Stafford;
• Magistrate since 1980 (supplemental list).
• Previous Board positions: Secretary of State appointee to Peak District National Park Authority; Harper Adams University; Homes Plus (formerly Stafford and Rural Homes); Staffordshire Ambulance Trust, Staffordshire Crimestoppers (founder member); Government Food and Farming Panel responsible for industry responses to government on agri-food, economic and environmental policies.   I have been involved extensively in food/farming initiatives for Government with schools, education authorities on healthy eating.
• A high proportion - 10 of 37 - parish council and parish meetings in the borough are within Milwich ward. I attend their generally monthly meetings as often as possible, shared with my fellow councillor Andrew Harp (over 100 meetings pa!). Each clerk has my details or I can be contacted by leaving a message with my husband Michael at home on 01785 240667, on my mobile 07877 896466 or by emailing me at fbeatty@staffordbc.gov.uk