1 July 2011

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

The first two in a regular series of biographies introducing members of the East Grinstead Town Council features Council leader Norman Webster

NORMAN Webster was born and raised in an asbestos mining town in Zimbabwe and has lived in East Grinstead for almost ten years.

After completing his education, Norman worked for a multinational medical company with responsibility for strategic planning in India and southern Africa.

Before moving to the UK he worked for a number of charities and ran his own business in South Africa.

Norman has worked for a national charity in London for the past nine years and his wife teaches in a local independent school. Their daughters both attended attended Sackville school, where Norman was a governor, and he is a member of Trinity Methodist Church.

He has been involved in a number of local organisations including being a member and past chairman of both the Haywards Heath and District branch of Arthritis Care, and the South East England regional committee.

He also belongs to West Sussex LINKs for which he has led a review of care homes in Sussex.

"The new 3Ts hospital development is to replace the hopelessly outdated Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and I am proud to be a member of the Patient Public Design Panel for this new flagship hospital. It will provide greatly improved health services to residents across Sussex and the South East."

"I serve on the Brighton and Sussex Medical School Fitness to Practice subcommittee which is responsible to the BSMS Academic Board and advises the BSMS Admissions Board, for determining whether a student or potential applicant is fit to register on the Under Graduate Medical Course or to practice as a doctor after graduation."

"I also assist in the training of second and fifth year medical students as a patient role model."

"Having lived with inflammatory arthritis since the age of eleven, I care deeply for, and am dependent on, the NHS as are many people in East Grinstead. I will use my influence to ensure services in Sussex are maintained and improved where possible."

"As a town councillor I represent the East Grinstead Council for Voluntary Services and look forward to supporting their work where I can."

"I also actively participate in meetings of the Association of Charity Officers, Occupational Benevolent Funds Alliance and the Institute of Fundraisers; these groups interact with government to influence policy and to assist those in our society who need a helping hand."

"I care passionately about creating opportunities for local people of all ages, to live and work in an economically vibrant area."

Together with the residents, businesses, voluntary sector and my Town Council colleagues, I want to create a thriving town in which to live and work.

COUNCILLOR Bob Mainstone, who represents Imberhorne Ward, is leader of the Town Council’s Liberal Democrat group and is also a Mid Sussex District Councillor for the ward. He has been a member of the Town Council since 2007.

“East Grinstead is a special town and I want to see it develop to its full potential. We have the Bluebell Railway linking to the town soon and this will bring in many tourists.

“It is important we make the most of this unique opportunity, and I will strive to do all I can to improve the town for our residents and visitors.”

Bob arrived in East Grinstead back in 1970 to take up a teaching post at Sackville School where he was responsible for Physical Education and Social Education. In 1979 he moved up the road to Imberhorne School as Head of Key Stage Three. During this time he also worked at Baldwins Hill Primary school.

In 1997 Bob retired from his senior management position but continued to work part-time at Imberhorne as a sixth form tutor specialising in A-level Travel and Tourism. In 2011 he finally decided to complete his 44-year teaching career.

“Every day I meet people who I used to teach and we have a good old chat. I love to find out how their lives have progressed since leaving school and what is on their ‘wish list’ for the town.”

While working part-time Bob also created his own business specialising in wedding photography and often found himself filming his former students.

Away from work, Bob spent much of his younger years playing rugby, and has represented Loughborough Students, Lewes, East Grinstead and Sussex. He was a member of the East Grinstead Sussex Cup-winning side in 1983. His interests now are photography, golf and motor cycling

“Sport in East Grinstead is something we should be very proud of. For a small town we have a remarkable number of high quality clubs which produce teams which compete strongly at local and national levels.”

After his school days at Worthing High School, Bob studied at Loughborough University and later at Sussex University. In 2009 he was awarded an Honorary Degree by Loughborough University in recognition of his contribution to education.

In his role as a town councillor Bob has served as Deputy Mayor, Chairman of Public Services and Chairman of the Business Support Group. At present he is a member of the Planning committee and the Amenities & Tourism committee. Outside the council chamber Bob is a founder member of the Imberhorne/Baldwins Neighbourhood Panel, a trustee of the Town Museum, a member of Chequer Mead Friends, a member of the East Grinstead Music and Arts Festival, a committee member of the town’s Christmas Promotions committee, an honorary member of the Guinea Pig Club, a member of the Mid Sussex Young Enterprise committee and a vice-president of the East Grinstead rugby club.

“Being a councillor is a busy life but I like it that way,” he said. “I enjoy getting involved with trying to improve the quality of our town by attending meetings and joining committees – sitting watching TV every evening is not for me and I definitely prefer to be out helping people and their organisations.”

Bob is married to Christine who, until 2011, was an elected member of the Town Council for sixteen years and served as Town Mayor.

Their daughter Sally, a community nurse, lives in Crawley with her husband Mark and four-year-old son Toby.