Alan Gammon

Alan Gammon (born January 1955) is an English politician. He served on the Littlehampton Town Council and the Arun District Council from 2003-2019, and was re-elected to office in 2007, 2011 and 2015. He was elected mayor of Littlehampton, England in 2008 and again in 2012. In 2018 he was elected Chairman of Arun District Council.[1]

Cllr Alan Gammon, Chairman of Arun District Council 2018-2019

Personal background

Alan Gammon was born in January 1955, in Streatham South London. He married in 1977 and resided in Bognor Regis West Sussex with his two children. The marriage has been dissolved. Alan has lived in Littlehampton since 1996.

Professional background

He joined the London Daily Express in Fleet Street as a Messenger Boy on the Editorial and progressed to Administration in Beaverbrook Library, where he worked under the late political historian A. J. P. Taylor.[2] His interest in politics grew from there. Gammon worked in various industries during the 1970s, public sector, civil service, manufacturing, and public transport where he served more than 30 years in service and management.

He first stood for Mole Valley District Council in 1994, in Ashtead Park and was defeated by an Independent. Not withstanding this he stood in 1999 for Arun District Council in Rustington North and was bested by 94 votes by the Liberal Democrats.[3]

In 2003, Gammon won a seat on Littlehampton Town Council and Arun District Council in Brookfield Ward. Both authorities are situated in the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Constituency, our MP is Nick Gibb. Determined to get on, in 2005 he returned to college and gained bookkeeping qualifications, passing with distinction.[4]

In 2007, the Conservative Party won six seats in Littlehampton and Gammon became a group leader on Littlehampton Town Council. That year he was also elected Deputy Mayor Mayor-Elect. In May 2008, he took the chain for the first time to Mayor of Littlehampton. During that year he put three proposals forward, to introduce an [open market] to the town, the Food Larder[5] and to reinstate the ferry on the River Arun. All three have come to fruition and the ferry was launched on 23 March 2012.

In 2008, the three mayors met together for the first time between the twin towns Durmersheim in Germany and Chennevières-sur-Marne in France.[6]

In May 2009, Gammon became the first past mayor to visit Littlehampton, South Australia. The visit arranged through the Lord Mayor of Adelaide and the Mayor of Barker Hills, celebrated the 150 years Celebration of its name. The visit reinforced the link between the two towns. The Littlehampton Gazette in West Sussex described the visit as "A relationship with another town that most of us do not even know we have".[7]

In May 2011 he retained his seat in Brookfield Ward on Arun District Council and the Conservatives took control of Littlehampton Town Council with 11 Counselors. He was re-elected Mayor, and has announced plans to continue with the mayoral "at home" surgeries "giving residents the chance to raise issues of concern with him."[8] and form a charity fund instead of limiting donations to a single charity.[8] He joined with the Leader of Arun District Council to spearhead a campaign to urge the NHS Sussex PCT to rebuild the community hospital in Littlehampton. The petition was delivered to No.10 Downing Street in December 2011.[9]

In 2003, Gammon served on, Licensing & Enforcement, Housing Planning and Community Care Scrutiny and the Audit Committee (Vice-Chair).[10]

In 2004, Gammon was elected to serve as the Arun District Council Conservative Group Treasurer. Chair of Audit Committee on Littlehampton Town Council.

In 2006, Gammon became Chair of the PPI Forum,[11] a watchdog monitoring the NHS.

In 2006, Gammon was sponsored by the West Sussex Area Health Authority qualified as a "Community Health Champion" gained six credits at the Open College.

In 2007, he served on the Audit Committee, Development Control,[12] Overview Scrutiny, Performance Scrutiny (Vice-Chair) Littlehampton Regeneration Sub Committee, Environment Working Party and Clean & Safe Working Party and North Littlehampton Steering Group. Chair of Policy & Finance, Planning & Transportation.[13] East Arun Primary and Community Services Task Group,

In 2007, he served as Deputy Mayor, Mayor-Elect of Littlehampton.

In 2008, he was elected Mayor of Littlehampton.[14] He was reelected in 2011.[8]

In 2011, he served as a member on the following committees; Licensing & Enforcement, </ref> Policy & Finance,[15] Community Resources Committee.

In 2012 he was appointed to the Littlehampton Harbour Board and also appointed Deputy Cabinet member for Housing at Arun District Council.

2013 Elected Chairman of Littlehampton Branch of the Conservative Party.

2014 Author of The Benjamin Gray Story, ISBN 978-0-9927921-0-7 was self-published on 1 January and is on sale Worldwide. On 25 February it became the No.1 best seller in its category on Amazon. On 21 July the book became available as an eBook on Amazon Kindle. The Kindle then went on to become No 3 in the Amazon Kindle eBook best sellers list a week before Christmas. A new road was named Benjamin Gray Drive in Littlehampton as a lasting memorial for his achievements.

2015 May 7, Gammon polled 1363 in Brookfield Ward, elected to Arun District Council and Littlehampton Town Council.

On 10 July 2015 through Littlehampton Shopmobility Gammon launched a new mobility scooter registration service. Working in conjunction with Sussex Police the database is used to help the fight against scooter theft. It is maintained by the charity to help to reunite the owner with their scooter. On 28 March 2017, the register was launched at the Naidex Exhibition in the NEC Birmingham, where it gained national status, it is now being administered by the National Federation of Shopmobility (NFSUK) in Wellingborough Northamptonshire. On 30 November 2017 Gammon won a national award from the British Health Trades Association (BHTA) at the Plaza Park, Riverbank in London for his outstanding contribution to the National Mobility Register (NMR) .

December 2015 Under the Chairmanship of Gammon, Littlehampton Shopmobility was voted one of the top six Shopmobility schemes in the UK through the National Federation. For the second year in succession, Littlehampton Shopmobility was in the top four in December 2016. Once again the shop was in the top four in November 2017.

2016 The Benjamin Gray Story Amazon Kindle Edition topped the No.1 bestsellers position in its category on 22 January in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

2017 May 17, he was elected Vice-Chairman of Arun District Council.[16]

2018/19 On the 16th May '18, Gammon was elected chairman of Arun District Council, during the year he raised the profile of Sussex Day when the Sussex Flag was flown across the Arun District. Town Criers at Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Arundel recited the Sussex Declaration. In Arundel the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk were present at the declaration and proudly sang with the townsfolk the unofficial Sussex anthem, composed by William Ward-Higgs, Sussex by the Sea. During his year, Gammon tried to have the song adopted as the ‘Official’ Sussex Anthem but sadly West Sussex County Council turned the request down as being the march an inappropriate song to be an anthem. After more than 110 years as being sung in schools, public events, churches and even adopted as an anthem of sporting clubs, it remains unofficial. Gammon's year was appropriately marked by a royal visit to Bognor Regis by their Royal Highness's Prince Harry and Meghan the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. After meeting representatives of the armed forces Alan Gammon was first in line to greet them and explained how we celebrate Sussex Day on the 16th of June every year. His quite remarkable year in office is showcased in a short film that can be found on YouTube.

Philanthropic background
  • Chairman Littlehampton Shopmobility, helping people with mobility disabilities to live as independent life as possible.[17]
  • Arun Sunshine Group Treasurer. Provides respite for people who care for someone with learning difficulties.[18]
  • Littlehampton and District Citizen's Advice Bureau, Generalist Adviser, to give advice on an array of matters including Housing, Family, Debt, Benefits and Employment.[19]
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gollark: Watch what happens if I do *this*!
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gollark: Eγ, it says.
gollark: Maybe I should highlight the initial one actually.

References
  1. "New chairman is chosen for Arun". Bognor Regis Post. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  2. https://www.parliament.uk/
  3. "Arun Council election, 1999 - eNotes.com Reference". Enotes.com. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  4. "Institute member elected Mayor of Littlehampton". Bookkeepers.org.uk. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  5. "Littlehampton Larder feeds hungry when the cupboard is bare - Local". Littlehampton Gazette. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  6. "Littlehampton German twinning milestone celebrated - Local". Littlehampton Gazette. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  7. "Littlehampton South Australia". Pastmayors.zxq.net. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  8. "One of Littlehampton's 'best mayors' completes year in office - Local". Littlehampton Gazette. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  9. "Hospital campaigners visit No 10". 6 December 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  10. https://drive.google.com/file/d/11aSVgidY5fG0HhimFR3lqAQrtZKwvWv8/view
  11. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. Development Control-Arun District Council
  13. "2002" (PDF). Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  14. "Previous Mayors of Littlehampton". Littlehampton-tc.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  15. "Minutes of the Policy and Finance Committee" (PDF). Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  16. https://www.arun.gov.uk/news-archive/new-chairman-for-arun-district-council-2018-1696
  17. http://www.shopmob1.plus.com/trustees.htm}
  18. "Annual Report 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  19. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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